Lakers' LeBron James: I Got COVID-19 Vaccination 'For My Family and For My Friends'

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James discussed the COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday at Lakers media day and spoke about why he decided to get it.

James said he got the vaccine "for my family and for my friends":

He said there was no team discussion regarding getting vaccinated.

There was some question about whether James intended to get vaccinated, as he gave a vague answer when asked about it in March, saying he would discuss it with his family and preferred to keep it "private."

The questions were answered last week when Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka told reporters, "On opening night, all of the players that are currently signed on our roster will be deemed fully vaccinated."

While James is vaccinated, the four-time NBA MVP and four-time champion said he doesn't plan on "stressing" that others should get vaccinated as well.

Vaccination has been a hot-button issue in the NBA, especially since New York City and San Francisco have instituted vaccination requirements for indoor venues.

Per ESPN's Tim Bontemps, the NBA plans to follow those requirements, meaning unvaccinated players may not be able to play in the home venues of the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors.

Warriors wing Andrew Wiggins and Nets guard Kyrie Irving are among the high-profile NBA players who are not vaccinated or who have not disclosed their vaccination status.

Being 100 percent vaccinated gives the Lakers a leg up in terms of knowing all their players will be available regardless of where they play.

James and Anthony Davis led the Lakers to a championship two seasons ago, but injuries to many of their top players forced the Lakers to participate in the NBA's play-in tournament to make the postseason in 2020-21. They were then ousted in the first round by the eventual Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns.

With the whole roster healthy, the Lakers are considered top contenders to go the distance in 2021-22.