LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In the latest episode of HBO Max's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, Former University of Louisville women's basketball star Asia Durr discussed her long-term battle with COVID-19.
The story from the longstanding sports journalism series centered around athletes across the world dealing with long-term effects of the coronavirus.
Durr was a standout for the Cardinals from 2015-2019. A two-time All American and back-to-back ACC Player of the Year, Durr was drafted second overall in the 2019 WNBA Draft by the New York Liberty.
The interview, posted to social media by photojournalist William Caudill from the sports blog The Crunch Zone, features Durr detailing the physical hardships that have come since her diagnosis in June 2020.
"My life has completely changed since June 8," Durr told Real Sports reporter Mary Carillo. "I couldn't breathe. I was spitting up blood. It was just lung pain that was just so severe. It felt somebody took a long knife and was stabbing you in your lungs each second."
Durr, 23, sat out the entirety of the 2020 WNBA season due to the virus and said on the episode that she's lost 32 pounds.
Due to the effects, Durr hasn't even picked up a basketball since her diagnosis.
Since the episode aired, several WNBA players, fans and Louisvillians reached out to Durr on social media to wish her a speedy recovery.
"My hope is that in sharing my struggle, it will help others," Durr said on Twitter. "PLEASE take COVID seriously folks. It's very real...Young people, athletes, you too. We are not invincible."
Durr said she is working every day to return for the WNBA's 2021 season.
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