Wizards' Bradley Beal Says He Isn't Vaccinated, Cites 'Personal Reasons'

Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal said Monday he has not received the COVID-19 vaccine, citing "personal reasons," per Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.

Beal further discussed his thought process at the team's media day:

The NBA reportedly does not plan to mandate a vaccine for players, but the league will have stricter protocols and different travel arrangements for unvaccinated players, per Baxter Holmes and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. 

Players without a vaccine will also have to be tested for COVID-19 daily. 

Beal has already seen first-hand the potential problems after he was forced to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics due to health and safety protocols.

The Wizards also had a significant outbreak last season that affected the schedule. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an August study found that people who had previously contracted the virus and later got vaccinated had a reduced risk of reinfection compared to those who did not get vaccinated after getting COVID-19.

There could be even further complications in 2021-22 with New York City and San Francisco requiring vaccines for home players to take part in competitions. 

The vaccines have also proven to be effective in reducing the risk of serious illness or death in COVID-19. A study published in September showed unvaccinated people were 10 times more likely to be hospitalized and 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19, per Lena H. Sun and Joel Achenbach of the Washington Post.