NBA star 'forced' to get COVID-19 vaccine

3 years ago 376

Golden State Warriors guardant Andrew Wiggins has said helium felt similar helium had nary prime but to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

Wiggins told NBC Sports successful March helium wasn't getting vaccinated unless helium was forced to. He applied for a spiritual exemption, but the NBA denied that petition successful September.

However, Warriors caput manager Steve Kerr confirmed connected Sunday that Wiggins had received the vaccine. And speaking for the archetypal clip since getting vaccinated, the Canadian hoops subordinate said helium felt similar helium had to bash truthful to beryllium capable to play for his team.

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"I consciousness similar the lone options [were] to get vaccinated oregon not play successful the NBA," Wiggins said aft the Warriors' 121-107 preseason opener triumph astatine the Portland Trail Blazers connected Tuesday (AEDT).

"It was a pugnacious decision. Hopefully, it works retired successful the agelong tally and successful 10 years I'm inactive healthy."

In September, the NBA warned the Warriors on with the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets that caller Covid-19 policies acceptable by section governments volition prohibit immoderate unvaccinated subordinate from playing successful location games successful New York City and San Francisco.

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And though 90 percent of the league is vaccinated, according to a CNN source, determination are inactive a fewer holdouts -- and it could outgo them.

The NBA announced successful September that unvaccinated players who bash not comply with section vaccination mandates volition not beryllium paid for the games they miss.

"It feels bully to play, but getting vaccinated, that's going to beryllium thing that stays successful my caput for a agelong time," helium said.

"It's not thing I wanted to do, but benignant of forced to."

The NBA pointed retired that it was section San Francisco mandate requiring players to beryllium vaccinated successful bid to play games successful indoor stadiums successful the city.

Wiggins, who received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson shot, said helium doesn't clasp thing against the team.

"They didn't marque the rule. But I conjecture to bash definite stuff, to work, I conjecture you don't ain your body. That's what it comes down to. If you privation to enactment successful nine today, past I conjecture they made the rules of what goes successful your assemblage and what you do.

"Hopefully, there's a batch of radical retired determination that are stronger than maine and support fighting, basal for what they believe, and hopefully, it works retired for them."

Last week astatine Warriors' media day, erstwhile asked astir his stance connected vaccinations, the 26-year-old said helium was going to "keep warring for what I judge and for what I judge is close ... What's close to 1 idiosyncratic isn't close to the different and vice versa."

Wiggins besides said that nary 1 successful his household is vaccinated.

"It's not truly thing we judge successful arsenic a family," helium said. "They cognize that I had to. It came down to get the vaccination oregon don't play basketball. I'm 26. I person 2 kids. I privation much kids.

"I'm trying to bash thing that volition make arsenic overmuch wealth arsenic I tin for my kids and my aboriginal kids, trying to marque generational wealth. So, I took the gamble, took the risk, and hopefully, similar I said, I'm good."

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