NBA players who are still unvaccinated
The NBA has been engulfed in a vaccine crisis. Many players have apparently yet to receive a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccination, causing widespread concern in the league. San Francisco and New York City have COVID-19 regulations that make it illegal for unvaccinated players to play in indoor arenas. As a result, NBA players from the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, and Golden State Warriors who have not been vaccinated are subject to this requirement.
Los Angeles, California is the most recent city to enact severe restrictions, and the LA Lakers and LA Clippers have now joined the list.
Which NBA players are not yet vaccinated?
Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors had earlier refused vaccination but later changed his mind and received a dose. He was on the verge of missing all of the team’s home games for the upcoming NBA season in 2021-22, but he is now free of such concerns. Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns, who previously kept his vaccination status a secret, has now publicly declared that he received the shot.
In this article, we look at four NBA players who have yet to receive their vaccines ahead of the 2021-22 season.
Bradley Beal – Washington Wizards
Bradley Beal is apparently opposed to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine because he believes it will not protect him from the virus. During Washington Wizards Media Day, he asked reporters,
“I would like an explanation to people with vaccines, why are they still getting COVID? If that’s something we’re supposed to highly be protected from, that’s funny that it only reduces your chances of going to the hospital. It doesn’t eliminate anyone from getting COVID.”
Here’s Bradley Beal on the covid vaccine. NBA players like Beal and Isaac, who both have had covid already, should have no vaccine mandates at all. pic.twitter.com/AeHP9HnXgJ
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) September 28, 2021
Because Washington, D.C. does not have the same laws like New York City, San Francisco, or Los Angeles, Bradley Beal can play in his home arena without a dosage as of today.
Kyrie Irving – Brooklyn Nets
Kyrie Irving is the most well-known name in the NBA when it comes to the vaccine controversy. During the Brooklyn Nets media day, he asked reporters to “respect his privacy” when asked about his vaccination status. The Nets play in New York City, where unvaccinated players are not permitted to participate in home games. The Nets had the opportunity to play 41 road games with Kyrie Irving, but he will not be able to participate in any team practice or game until he has received at least one dosage of the vaccination.
Nets GM Sean Marks says Brooklyn has decided Kyrie Irving may not practice or play with the group until he can be a “full participant.” pic.twitter.com/ton8xdCEX9
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) October 12, 2021
As a result of this circumstance, there have been suggestions that he may retire. Kyrie Irving’s agent claimed that if the Brooklyn Nets traded him, he would declare his retirement from the NBA.
Jonathan Isaac – Orlando Magic
Jonathan Isaac has publicly said that he is not vaccinated and that he is hesitant to take the vaccine at this time. Matt Sullivan cast him in the wrong light in a Rolling Stone piece, calling him an “anti-vaxxer.” He answered by defending his viewpoint and said,
“I am not anti-vax. I’m not anti-medicine. I’m not anti-science… I have nothing but the utmost respect for every healthcare worker and person in Orlando and all across the world that has worked tirelessly to keep us safe… I thank God, I’m grateful that I live in a society where vaccines are possible and we can protect ourselves and have the means to protect ourselves in the first place.”
He went on to declare that he had decided not to take the vaccine, saying,
“But with that being said, it is my belief that the vaccine status of every person should be their own choice and completely up to them without bullying, without being pressured or without being forced into doing so. I’m not ashamed to say that I’m uncomfortable with taking the vaccine at this time… What it is that you do with your body when it comes to putting medicine in there should be your choice, free of the ridicule and the opinion of others.”
Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr.
Michael Porter Jr. has stated that he is unwilling to take the vaccine and has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus twice. “, he explained.
“For me, I had COVID twice, I saw how my body reacted, and although the chances are slim, with the vaccine, there’s a chance you could have a bad reaction to it…For me, I don’t feel comfortable.”
Porter Jr. went on to say that the NBA should not force players to obtain the vaccine since it is a personal decision.
“My stance on the mandate is it definitely shouldn’t be a mandate…It should be everyone’s decision. I see it both ways. If you want to get it because you feel more protected and you feel safer, and it’s protecting people around you, get it. That’s good for you. But if you feel like, ‘Oh, for me, I don’t feel safe getting it, then don’t get it.”
The Denver Nuggets signed Michael Porter Jr. to a max agreement worth $207 million in the offseason.