A number of the NBA’s top players have expressed reluctance to promote the coronavirus vaccine in league-sponsored public service announcements, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Some players are wary of receiving the vaccine themselves, apprehensions which are consistent with those in Black communities around the country, Wojnarowski notes.
There are other factors contributing to the “tepid” response to the NBA’s vaccine PSA efforts, according to Woj, who points out that many players are unenthusiastic about doing any favors on behalf of the NBA as the league puts its “largely unpopular” plans for an All-Star Game into motion.
While commissioner Adam Silver has repeatedly stated that the NBA won’t “jump the line” for the vaccine, he told general managers on a call on Tuesday that vaccinations for players could be available as soon as late March or early April, per Wojnarowski. Silver also suggested on that call that the NBA may encourage vaccinations – and participation in its PSAs – by loosening the health and safety protocols for those who receive it, sources tell ESPN.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- As has been the case in recent years, the NBA will once again have the top vote-getters for the All-Star Game become team captains and get them to draft their own rosters from the pool of 22 remaining All-Stars, Tim Bontemps of ESPN confirms. Bontemps adds that there’s a chance the “Elam Ending” format could return, given how successful it was last year, but says that hasn’t been officially decided yet.
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report identifies six young players who he believes would benefit from a change of scenery and should be on the trade block. Magic center Mohamed Bamba, Celtics guard Carsen Edwards, and a pair of Knicks (Kevin Knox and Frank Ntilikina) are among those on Wasserman’s list.
- In an Insider-only article for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks previews the trade deadline for all 30 NBA teams, examining each club’s most valuable assets, cap situation, and how it should be approaching the trade market.
Looser protocols if you take vaccine? What if you touch Corona with your extra freedom & spread it all around the team bus & plane while others were safe & sticking to protocols & uninfected?
I agree with Bamba & Edwards.
Knox, Nkilitina need more than just minutes.
The Elam Ending, Team Captains, gimmicks are why the All-Star game & weekend is artificial, fake, dumb & boring.
NBA players trying to be Hollywood Stars for a weekend. Its this fake-ness & artificial manipulation that has been ruining the All-Star weekend & games since the early 90’s.
Just play a game, have a real & fairly judged dunk & 3 point contest. Thats what fans want to see. The best competing against the best.
I don’t see it being possible with the way things are with contracts, $, and fearful GM’s.
I think a Bamba for Edwards deal makes huge sense for both sides. The C’s need a big man and the Magic are shorthanded in the backcourt. Boston might have to include an additional asset or two to satisfy the Magic, but nothing huge. Maybe a future 2nd or 2.
I don’t know about Ntikilina, I just think he was a bad pick, but I believe Knox needs a much smaller spotlight shining on him. When he was at Kentucky, he always seemed to play better when someone else on the team was the “star of the game” and got the attention, both from the other team and the media. I think he would improve greatly if he went to a smaller market, OKC comes to mind.
I don’t see why Orlando would do it. Edwards is not good at all. He doesn’t play defense and he’s limited as a passer. In college he was pretty much an undersized two guard.
I like that trade.
The Bamba and Edwards trade would be a good one but there’s one problem Stevens won’t play him just like he does with R. Williams who in my eyes is basically the same player as him
The cognitive dissonance of a) mandating aggressive protocols to prevent COVID spread while b) bringing all players together for a dog and pony show superspreader event is really quite breathtaking.
Almost as crazy as people fearing vaccines when the diseases they help prevent are unquestionably more dangerous.
Its the protocols & mitigation being contradictory to long established facts, truth & logic.
There is no doubt vaccines can be effective, but as with most things, the established truth is they are not fool-proof. An appropriately applied phrase I’d say.
Disregarding safety measures because of a vaccination as a reward sounds foolish & manipulative.
My only concern with the vaccines is the speed with which they were developed. Plus, there are still two competing vaccines. The FDA should have really gotten it narrowed down to the better of the two before launching it to the public.
Anytime there is a choice of two involved, a large group of people will pick the wrong one. I think the last couple of elections proved that.
Generally like the job Silver has done as commissioner, but can’t say I’m a fan of this decision at all. I, for one, will not be tuning in, and I suggest others do the same. Show the league what a mistake this was.
The difference with this vaccine is that it has not been in development long enough, and why should any player get the vaccine when they have over a 99% survival rate.
COVId disproportionately affects minority communities making it something that should be front and center in the leagues commitment to social justice. I wish the players could see it from that perspective.
I’m not a labor lawyer, but is establishing one set of rules for a group of players who take the vaccine, and a separate set for those who don’t, legal? I feel like that’s a really slippery slope. Isn’t that sorta discriminatory against someone’s beliefs? For instance what if they are an anti-vaxer? Not taking a stance here, just asking the question in the event someone is in the know?
I’m sure the league can point to CDC workplace guidelines to support their two-tiered approach, but it’s a good question. It may very well be the league hasn’t determined the legality, which is why they’re hedging.
On one side you have the players being very anti-vaccine. On the other side, when they get popped for PEDs they say always say something about how they didn’t know what was in the supplement etc… So do they only care when you use a trigger word like Vaccine or Government?
These guys ingest tons of stuff that they have no clue what it does long-term to your body to help them perform better now.
We know how vaccines are made – you get an exposure to a lesser amount of a virus/bacteria with the purpose of gaining immunity.
These pundits also need to stop making excuses that certain communities don’t have access so NBA players shouldn’t get it. Mistrust of the government does not equate to not having access. If you don’t have internet, you can use a phone, or go to a public library, or go to your family doctor/healthcare provider and get help to get on the list, or as a family member to help you get signed up.
Last time I checked, the government does NOT run the publicly traded companies Moderna, Pfizer, or Johnson and Johnson (makers of the drugs). The government is purchasing the vaccines so the populace can get vaccinated.
This isn’t the Tuskegee Study, the gov’t actually wants the populace to be vaccinated. They pushed this stuff through FDA Phase Trials as fast as they could with a certain expectation for Health & Safety.
Agree completely on first 4 paragraphs, not 100% sold on the last one quite yet
Not an anti vac guy but Id speculate that the Gov has its hands all up in those drug companies today yesterday and tomorrow
I wonder why players don’t want no part of the vaccine!
Seriously can’t blame them one bit, sadly we will all eventually be forced, against our will & freedom, to take it, but meanwhile is good to see that they are not just playin’ the Yes, mon! game, right?
I would say having over 300-400 in the test subject is why some want no part in it
I mean its not even unanimous the worlds not flat in that same said test subject so you can see the degrees of thinking when you cast that large of a net
Nothing unnatural here
La la la la,Mo Bamba
Does anyone not find it curious that flu deaths and cases have dropped during this coronavirus.