'Please protect your families': NBA player's COVID-19 heartbreak

NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns has posted a moving video on social media, in which he reveals his mother Jacqueline Cruz is in a coma after contracting the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Minnesota Timberwolves centre urged viewers of the video to take every possible precaution and to follow the advice of medical experts, as well as thanking the doctors caring for his mother.

'THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE': Aussie star slams 'pathetic' virus measures

'NOT A PRETTY PICTURE': NBA staring down barrel of $1.7 billion disaster

In the video, Towns said his mother had fallen sick earlier in March, and had struggled to improve after her symptoms maintained.

The former NBA Rookie of the Year also added his father had been quarantined in his house after his mother’s illness.

The 24-year-old said it was crucial that the global pandemic was taken seriously.

“I think it’s important that everyone understands the severity of what’s happening in the world right now with this this coronavirus,” he said.

“I wanted to make this video so that people understand about the the severity, this disease is real, this disease needs to not be taken lightly.

“Please protect your families, your loved ones, friends, yourself.

“Practice social distancing, please don’t be in places with a lot of people.

“It’s just heightens your chance of getting this disease, and this disease is deadly.”

Karl-Anthony Towns details mother’s condition after COVID-19 diagnosis

The Timberwolves star said his mother had only slightly improved after spending several days on a ventilator, even going outside at one point, before again deteriorating.

Cruz once again required a ventilator, before being placed in an induced coma.

Towns said he was hopeful his mother would recover.

"My mother is the strongest woman I know," he said.

"I know she'll beat this. And we're gonna rejoice when she does.”