A At 74, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar received the first dose of Moderna’s vaccine against COVID-19. The legendary pvot wanted to set an example by appearing in a video with another veteran, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. They were the protagonists of several public service announcements in which vaccination was encouraged and the former player himself has tried to convince anti-vaccine personalities such as singer Nicki Minaj.
Aware as he is, Jabbar won’t make many compromises with NBA players who don’t want to get vaccinated, like Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins. “The NBA should insist that all players and staff are vaccinated or expelled,” the legend told ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine, which has produced an extensive report on the anti-vaccines of the American League.
The myth of the Bucks and Lakers considers that “there is no place for players who are willing to risk the health and lives of their teammates, staff and fans simply because they cannot understand the seriousness of the situation or do the necessary research. What I find especially insincere about vaccine deniers is their arrogance for not believing in immunology and other medical experts. However, if your child were ill or they themselves needed emergency medical treatment, how quickly exactly would they do it? what those same experts told them to do? “
The former player has had a model image since he retired, supporting social causes and fighting against inequalities, something that has won him numerous awards related to solidarity. Now he criticizes that some of the stars of the NBA are not the best mirror for society and he is not the only one who does. “They are not up to the responsibilities of being a celebrity. Athletes are not required to be government spokespersons, but this is a public health issue,” says another Hall of Fame member.
Jabbar is especially disappointed in African American athletes, because “by not encouraging their people to get vaccinated, they are contributing to these deaths. I am also concerned about how this perpetuates the stereotype of dumb athletes who cannot look at verified scientific evidence and come to a conclusion. rational”.
The NBA reached an agreement with the union so that players would not have the obligation to be vaccinated, but cities like San Francisco and New York do require the complete guideline to access closed venues with a large capacity such as the NBA pavilions. . Some stars refuse to be vaccinated and there are only a few days until the start of training camps. The League is considering that LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo make a public service announcement inviting to be vaccinated, but pressuring two of their icons does not seem like a good idea either.
