The preseason drama surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine in the NBA and its players has mostly died down. Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving is the only player truly impacted by refusing the jab — he has yet to play a game this season — while the rest of the league is reportedly around 97% percent vaccinated.
But as the NBA season approaches the third week of the regular season, the topic of vaccines is back in the news.
The NBA is now telling its players, coaches, and referees that they should receive a COVID-19 booster shot, particularly players that received the Johnson & Johnson shot.
Sources: The NBA and NBPA are now recommending that all players, coaches, front office and personnel who are in Tier 1 should receive the booster shot if received J&J vaccine at least two months ago or Pfizer/Moderna at least six months ago.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 7, 2021
For those that received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine more than two months ago and decide against the booster shot, game-day testing will be implemented.
NBA informed teams today that all players who received the J&J vaccine at least two months ago will be subject to Game Day testing beginning Dec. 1 if they do not receive the additional booster shot. https://t.co/l0SCUUERAA
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 7, 2021
While the league does not mandate the vaccine for its players, referees are required to be vaccinated.
In August, the NBA reached an agreement with the National Basketball Referees Association requiring all referees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
“This agreement was a win-win,” the NBRA said in a statement. “It will support the NBA’s objective of creating a safer on-court environment and continuity of play while protecting the health and well-being of the referees.”
A handful of NBA players have remained openly unvaccinated, including Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal and Jonathan Isaac of the Orlando Magic.
While these players do have to adhere to much stricter protocols than vaccinated players, Irving is the only one that has been subject to a vaccine mandate.
Two cities — San Francisco and New York City — require the vaccine for home players to enter “certain covered premises,” which includes the Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets. Irving has decided against being vaccinated, which makes him ineligible to play in half of Brooklyn’s regular-season games. Due to this, the Nets organization decided to shelve Irving “until he is eligible to be a full participant.”
“Given the evolving nature of the situation and after thorough deliberation, we have decided Kyrie Irving will not play or practice with the team until he is eligible to be a full participant,” Nets GM Sean Marks said in a statement.
In recent days, there was hope that New York City would change its vaccine mandate with the election of Eric Adams as NYC mayor. However, Adams shut down that possibility in an interview with CNN.
“New York City is not going to change their rule,” Adams said. “And again, it is up to the NBA and Kyrie to come to a full understanding on how to keep him on the Nets and to continue to look at all of our athletes that are coming here. Again, I think the NBA and Kyrie [are] going to come to a conclusion on this.”
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to [email protected].
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member.
Source: Dailywire
