Bradley Beal 'Considering' COVID-19 Vaccine; Says He's Not Advocating Against It

Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal said Tuesday he hasn't made a final decision about whether to receive a COVID-19 vaccine ahead of the 2021-22 NBA season.

"I'm still considering getting the vaccine, so one thing I want to get clear is that I'm not sitting up here advocating or campaigning that no, you should not get that vaccine," Beal told reporters.

The three-time All-Star said he was advised to hold off on vaccination for the time being because he's just past a 60-day window after being diagnosed with the coronavirus.

"I'm not sitting here saying that I won't get it," Beal said.

The 28-year-old University of Florida product was supposed to play for Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics, but he was removed from the final roster because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

His comments Tuesday come after he questioned why people were still contracting COVID-19 even if they were fully vaccinated in a Monday press conference:

In mid-September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided results from a review of over 615,000 coronavirus cases, which showed the vaccine reduced infection rates by five times, while also reducing hospitalizations and deaths more than tenfold.

Ninety-two percent of cases were recorded in people who weren't fully vaccinated, based on the study of positive test results from April 4 through July 17.

While the NBA hasn't mandated a COVID-19 vaccine for the 2021-22 season, unvaccinated players will face far stricter guidelines than their vaccinated teammates.

Unvaccinated players will have their lockers separated from teammates, must travel on a different section of the bus or plane and will face a mandatory seven-day quarantine if they are deemed a close contact to someone who tested positive, per ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps.

In addition, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported vaccinated players won't undergo regular COVID-19 testing, while players who aren't fully vaccinated will require a negative test on practice or travel days along with two negative tests on a game day.

Some NBA arenas are in cities or states that require full vaccination to attend large-scale events. For example, the Golden State Warriors' Andrew Wiggins can't play in home games unless he meets San Francisco's vaccination requirements.

Beal and the Wizards are scheduled to tip off the regular season Oct. 20 when they visit the Toronto Raptors.