54°F
weather icon Mostly Clear

Russell Westbrook partied at Wynn before COVID diagnosis

Updated July 13, 2020 - 5:10 pm

Exactly one month before announcing he’s tested positive for COVID-19, Russell Westbrook was hanging poolside at Encore Beach Club at Wynn Las Vegas.

Westbrook was with a group of friends, including former NFL running back Reggie Bush, fashion jeweler Greg Yuna, bodybuilders and trainers Mike Rashid and Valeriu Guto and Wynn club host Jai Shaun White at the outdoor dayclub on June 13.

The group posed for a photo at one of the party space’s VIP bungalows.

Westbrook, a superstar guard with the Houston Rockets, was due to join the team in Orlando when he posted Monday about his positive test:

“I’m currently feeling well, quarantined, and looking forward to rejoining my teammates when I am cleared. Thank you all for the well wishes and continued support. Please take this virus seriously. Be safe. Mask up! #whynot.”

None of the other members of Westbrook’s party at the Wynn have posted or announced whether they have tested positive for COVID. Their arrival at the Wynn was the first weekend after the hotel opened when wearing face coverings was encouraged but not mandatory.

Responding to a question asking if Westbrook had contracted the virus at the hotel, Wynn Las Vegas referred to company policy that it does not disclose personal information about guests. Generally, the statement read:

“Any guest diagnosed with COVID-19 while visiting the resort is reported to the Southern Nevada Health District, which conducts community contact tracing. Our internal contact tracing determines who in the resort the guest has had contact with and what areas they visited; relevant contacts are informed for testing and the areas visited are thoroughly sanitized.

“The guest is asked to leave the resort to receive medical care; Clark County has designated quarantine accommodations if the guest requires them. For hotel guests, the guest room is sanitized by a professional cleaning company. As a preventative measure, all guests are temperature screened upon entering the resort, offered hand sanitizer and, by order of the governor on June 24th, required to wear a face covering.”

The 2019-20 NBA season is set to restart July 31 at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, with players quarantined in a “bubble” for safety reasons. The season was suspended on March 11.

Westbrook, fellow superstar James Harden and new Rocket acquisition Luc Mbah are among the players who have yet to arrive in Orlando. Harden’s absence is not explained, though head coach Mike D’Antoni said the players have been working out on their own.

As part of the NBA’s “bubble” COVID protocol, all players are required to quarantine in their rooms for 48 hours after their arrival before practicing with teammates.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His PodKats podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST