ANKARA

The NBA was dismayed Friday over numerous novel coronavirus cases with at least 16 players contracting the disease, according to an NBA insider.

"Sixteen NBA players have tested positive for the coronavirus of 302 players tested, sources tells ESPN," American senior sports reporter Adrian Wojnarowski said on Twitter.

The NBA is set to return with a 22-team format at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida, with a tentative start date of July 31.

But, the league is still wrestling with the virus, which has killed more people in the US than any other country, and a surge in case numbers not seen since April, including in Florida.