ATHENS – Asymptomatic when first diagnosed with COVID three weeks ago, Nuggets guard Austin Rivers

As Atlanta Hawks player John Collins (20) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Atlanta on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021.

After all, he was 29, healthy, and vaccinated. This meant he'd be quarantined in Orlando for a few days, then reunited with the Nuggets' injured depth.

In the days following his return to the squad on Nov. 29, Rivers told The Denver Post he had been suffering from "body aches," followed by "headaches," and finally "draining my nose" and "breathing quite heavily at night."

"Especially at night, I was really struggling," he remarked. "Then it plays mentally. You're overdoing it now that you've got it and are struggling to breathe. ‘Is it going to get better, or what is going on here?'

The NBA is battling a ghost, seeking to regain control of a shaky season. He receives the same notifications as other NBA fans, informing him of the newest epidemic. Only he can perceive it from a professional and personal perspective.

Rivers believes the NBA is getting out of hand. We should either limit who enters the arena or test every day, I don't know what to do. We must, of course, return to daily testing. I believe we are doing so. The stats are getting scary now. They have a lot of variations."

This week's memo to teams explained plans for greater testing and mask use throughout the holiday two-week period. Following a large increase in positive cases, including outbreaks within the Bull, Kings, Lakers and Nets organizations.

In the 2019-20 playoffs, Rivers said nobody wants another Bubble, but he was nervous about traveling in waves and playing in front of 20,000 unmasked fans every night.

He said the Nuggets' locker room chat was about responsibility.

"What can we do to prevent spread?" Rivers stated. "The issue is that a lot of stuff is on your shoulders when you leave the facility. That's the problem with testing: you never know what the guys are doing when they get home and you never know if they're going out. … Are you going to stop guys from going out? Impossible."

Rivers can only share his story in hopes of persuading the few remaining uninfected Nuggets players.

"Scary," he said. "COVID is genuine. Many uninformed people think this is nothing and compare it to the virus, but I've never seen the illness do what this is doing."

Rivers couldn't help himself before Friday's game, possibly happy to be out of quarantine and back with the squad. Rivers danced on the sidelines of State Farm Arena after his pre-game warm-up, oblivious to the onlookers.

After scoring 11 points on a few hallmark drives, it was clear why Rivers was in such a good mood despite not playing in weeks.

"Those two weeks off really allowed me to be myself again, enjoy the game and have fun," he said.

Rivers said he wasn't emotionally or physically ready to start the season. The strain of three seasons compressed into roughly a year has been felt by many athletes, including Rivers.

However, his COVID case allowed him to undertake a personal audit of his game, evaluate his strategy, and restart his season.

Playing basketball didn't bring him the same delight. "This is the best job on the planet."

.

.

.

Fivestar Prepares to Launch One-of-a-Kind Sports Highlights Rating Platform

The Fivestar App, the video-sharing mobile app designed exclusively for athletes, coaches and sports enthusiasts, will officially launch in February 2022. Those excited to try the app ASAP can register to receive early access to the Fivestar App by visiting Fivestarapp.com.

The Fivestar App was created for athletes by athletes to address the challenges they face to get noticed in their sports. A small, exclusive group currently determines athletes’ rankings, limiting access and exposure for countless deserving individuals to receive recognition. To level the playing field, the founders of the Fivestar App set out to create a sports-only platform that empowers athletes to get noticed, no matter their sport, level of play or location. Think of it as the TikTok of sports, but with a heavy focus on its users’ mental health and well-being.

"Our goal in creating the Fivestar App is to offer a supportive, interactive, safe space for a diverse community of athletes and sports lovers," said Fivestar CEO Erin McNeally. "The platform is an exposure generator and an equalizer for athletes of all backgrounds, skill levels, and sports. The algorithm we’ve designed affords Fivestar the distinct ability to leverage the infinite power of social media interconnectivity, while consciously removing some of its more precarious elements."

The Fivestar App’s standout safety features include a comment-free approach to engagement and reliance on machine learning to identify problematic users, bots and non-sports content. Instead of commenting, the app’s proprietary algorithm relies largely on a five-star rating system that allows users to give and receive honest feedback on their content. The app also gamifies the user experience by utilizing video game elements as well as a point system that tracks engagements and rewards users with points. The points can then be used to purchase gear, access events, and access exclusive content only available on the platform.

From athletes and sports enthusiasts, to parents and coaches, the Fivestar App provides a unique experience for a variety of users. Athletes are empowered to set up a profile, choose their sport (or sports) and post highlights of their best moments, while fans are invited to engage by rating highlights, reacting with animations and awarding points as they see fit. Athletes who want to improve their ratings can browse other athletes’ content for inspiration. And who are the athletes? From recognized pros and kids moving up in their sport, to the leisurely snowboarder that wants to track their air across the season. If you're lacing up, Fivestar has a spot for you.

While athletes leverage the platform to get noticed, fans get access to the top highlights from the full range of sports they love. The Fivestar App invites fans (athletic or not) to participate in the sports world like never before. The incentive? In addition to having access to highlights and the ability to rate, fans can earn a scout score status.

Coaches can also take advantage of the Fivestar App to search for and find athletes they may want to recruit to their team. The Fivestar App breaks the recruitment barrier that currently limits both athletes and teams. By viewing highlights of potential recruits, coaches and athletes both reap the benefits of being seen, regardless of physical location.

In addition to direct consumers, Fivestar also has secured - and will continue to pursue - partnerships with corporations and professional athletes. Stay tuned for a list of participating athletes that have already begun to engage on the app.

The Fivestar App will be free to download and available for use on all Android and iOS devices. Users will also have a premium subscription and in-app purchase options.

About Fivestar:

The Fivestar App is the only dedicated digital platform that is focused 100% on sports highlights. The app provides a safe space for athletes and sports enthusiasts to share, find, and rate sports highlights through its proprietary rating system, gamification elements, and machine learning capabilities. The app empowers athletes to be recognized in their sports while empowering sports enthusiasts an opportunity to participate in the sports world like never before.