NBA Assistant Coach Says It's 'Horse S--t' Players Aren't Required to Be Vaccinated
The NBA is requiring its officials and most team staff members to be vaccinated against COVID-19, however, it hasn't required players to be vaccinated.
That is reportedly causing some tension within the league.
"Everyone who is vaccinated should be pissed at those who aren't," an unnamed assistant coach told ESPN's Baxter Holmes. "Not requiring NBA players to be vaccinated is horse s--t."
Holmes noted many staff members around the NBA are worried about the health risks that would come from being exposed to unvaccinated players, especially at indoor arenas. Others are not happy there is a different standard for players compared to other employees.
"They need to hold the players to the same standards they hold us," a strength and conditioning coach said. "This is a disease that doesn't differentiate between a player and a staff member."
It should be noted that Holmes reported approximately 90 percent of the league's players are vaccinated with the season approaching. Still, there is fatigue setting in when it comes to those who are not, especially this far into the pandemic.
"It's very concerning to everybody involved," a general manager said. "I'm out of energy trying to convince somebody to save themselves and their loved ones."
These quotes come after Holmes and Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier this month that, despite the league pushing for vaccine mandates for players, the NBA Players Association deemed them a "non-starter" when it came to negotiating the health and safety protocols for this season.
Though that's the case, the league and players association are still finalizing protocols that will place more restrictions for those who are not vaccinated to help protect both vaccinated and unvaccinated players and staff.
According to Holmes and Wojnarowski, unvaccinated players are expected to face more testing and be required to sit in different areas in locker rooms and meetings and while traveling or eating.
It is similar to the NFL where players are not forced to be vaccinated but face much stricter protocols if they are not, including potentially longer times away from their teams when deemed a close contact.
While there are still some unvaccinated players, including a few notable names like Kyrie Irving, Bradley Beal and Andrew Wiggins, the vaccine has consistently been proven to be safe and effective.
Lena H. Sun and Joel Achenbach of the Washington Post reported the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a study that revealed those who were not fully vaccinated during the spring and summer months were 11 times more likely to die and 10 times more likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19 than those who were vaccinated.
