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“LeBron James was skeptical about the vaccine”: Lakers’ Superstar took the vaccine after his own ‘research’ to protect his family from Covid-19 spread

Akash Murty
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"LeBron James was skeptical about the vaccine": Lakers’ Superstar took the vaccine after his own 'research' to protect his family from Covid-19 spread

The NBA might have something to do with some stars now coming up talking about taking the vaccine, but LeBron James isn’t one of them.

Few of the NBA players are not ready to take the vaccine and even have arguments to support their ideas. Kyrie Irving, Bradley Beal, Andrew Wiggins, and Jonathan Isaac are the few who have spoken up about their stance on vaccination.

LeBron James said he was “very skeptical” about the vaccines when they were first released. “I know what I did for me and my family,” he added. “I know what some of my friends did for their families, but as far as speaking for everybody and their individuality and things they want to do, that’s not my job.”

Also read: “Getting fully vaccinated didn’t require a team meeting”: LeBron James opens up about his initial doubts and eventual acceptance of getting the COVID-19 vaccine at Lakers media day

The league continues to have difficulty convincing current superstars to advocate for vaccines

Asked how important it was for the team to be fully vaccinated, James told reporters on Tuesday, “At the end of the day, you’re always trying to figure out ways to always be available and protect one another.”

Lakers coach Frank Vogel spoke about having a full squad, which was not the case last season.

“It’s huge,” said Vogel “Not every team in the league this year has that luxury, but we do. There were a lot of conversations along the way, and I’m super proud of our guys.”

The league is struggling to get LeBron or Giannis in for NBA’s vaccination PSA

Retired Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who took part in the NBA’s first vaccination PSA in January, in his email to Rolling Stone, seemed upset with stars in the league.

“They are failing to live up to the responsibilities that come with celebrity. Athletes are under no obligation to be spokespersons for the government, but this is a matter of public health,” said Abdul-Jabbar.

“By not encouraging their people to get the vaccine, they’re contributing to these deaths. I’m also concerned about how this perpetuates the stereotype of dumb jocks who are unable to look at the verified scientific evidence and reach a rational conclusion”

Also Read: “No room for unvaccinated players!”: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar slams Kyrie Irving, Jonathan Isaac, Andrew Wiggins and the NBA’s other anti-vaxxers for misinformed stance

About the author

Akash Murty

Akash Murty

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An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

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