NBA icon Michael Jordan has shared his thoughts on the NBA’s rules regarding vaccines against COVID-19.
Appearing on TODAY, Jordan called himself “a firm believer in science” and supports the league’s vaccine rules.
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“I am in total unison with the league. And I think everybody’s been speaking about the vaccinations, and you know, I’m a firm believer in science,” Jordan said. “I’m gonna stick with that, and hopefully everybody abides by whatever the league sets as rules. I think once everybody buys in we’re gonna be fine.”
While NBA players are not currently required to get the COVID-19 vaccine staffers and referees are.
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Jordan’s comments come in the wake of the league issuing new guidelines for unvaccinated players.
We previously reported that NBA arenas for the Warriors, Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks are under local mandates requiring entertainment venues to only allow vaccinated people to enter. In those three arenas, unvaccinated players without proof of at least one vaccination shot would be barred from competition. Those players who miss games because they’re unvaccinated will also lose their paychecks, the NBA said.
Earlier this year we reported that several top NBA players were apprehensive about participating in league-sponsored PSA’s focused on coronavirus vaccines, sources told ESPN. Player apprehension about receiving the vaccine mirror fears that exist in Black communities.
Dr. Leroy Sims, the league’s senior vice president of medical affairs, told ESPN that he completed 20 presentations to individual teams on the benefit of the vaccines.
“I’ve tried to tackle misinformation — that the development process was rushed, that the vaccine can alter genetics, that the trials lacked diversity,” Sims said back in February. “I get the question of: ‘If I get this shot, is it going to impact my performance?’ I walked them through what the results were, about the different types of vaccine, and I conclude with the benefits of the vaccination.”
So far, approximately 95% of NBA players have received the first 2 doses of the vaccine.
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