WNBA’s Mystics coach to miss two games after testing positive for COVID-19

Washington Mystics head coach Mike Thibault will miss two games after testing positive for COVID-19. 

The team announced Wednesday that Mike Thibault, 70, will enter the WNBA’s health and safety protocols. 

Thibault’s son, Eric Thibault, will be the interim head coach for the Mystics final two regular-season games against the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx. 

MYSTICS HEALTH UPDATE pic.twitter.com/k5MZGMjVLn

— Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) September 15, 2021

Eric Thibault told team reporters that his father is fully vaccinated against the virus, according to ESPN.

“Luckily, the testing and the vaccinations have done their job. He’s feeling good,” Eric Thibault said.  

The league announced in June that 99 percent of their players have been vaccinated against the virus, adding that all 12 teams have met the threshold of being fully vaccinated. 

The following was released by the WNBA: pic.twitter.com/ZrDR7IkXk5

— WNBA (@WNBA) June 28, 2021

The WNBA’s partner league, the NBA, recently agreed with their players’ union (NBPA) to not require players to be vaccinated, advising unvaccinated players to follow strict COVID-19 protocols throughout the 2021-2022 regular season.