Report: Celtics' Marcus Smart to Donate Blood Plasma for Coronavirus Research Purposes

Celtics guard Marcus Smart plans on donating his blood plasma to National COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Project for research on the blood of those recovered from the coronavirus, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.

Smart has been cleared from the coronavirus since Friday, the sixth-year guard announced over the weekend. 

Head coach Brad Stevens said Friday that Smart was in "great spirits" and "joking as always."

Two weeks ago, Smart said in a video posted to social media that he tested positive for the coronavirus, but was asymptomatic. At the time of his public announcement, he had been in isolation for "several days," according to the Celtics' statement on the situation.

"I'm O.K. I feel fine," Smart said in his video announcement. "I don't feel any of the symptoms, but I can't stress enough practicing social distancing and really keeping yourself away from a large group of people."

Smart became the 10th NBA player with a confirmed positive test. 

Plasma therapy, which delivers antibody-packed plasma from recovered patients to those still fighting off infection, could potentially serve as a critical way to fight against COVID-19.

It has been more than two weeks since the NBA suspended its season indefinitely. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last week he's optimistic the season could be salvaged in some form, but did not know the timing.

"When public health officials give us the O.K.," Silver said.

As of Tuesday night, there are nearly 840,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus worldwide, causing more than 41,000 deaths. There are more than 183,000 confirmed cases in the United States, the most of any country globally.