Reports have surfaced related to players’ vaccination status in the NBA, and now, legendary sports figure Kareem Abdul Jabbar has called out all of the unvaccinated NBA players.
A piece that recently surfaced via Rolling Stone focused on the issues the NBA is facing with getting the remaining 10 percent of players who aren’t vaccinated on board. In the piece, Abdul-Jabbar was very straightforward, saying “there is no room for players” who pass on the vaccine.
Abdul-Jabbar went on to say, “The NBA should insist that all players and staff are vaccinated or remove them from the team. There is no room for players who are willing to risk the health and lives of their teammates, the staff, and the fans simply because they are unable to grasp the seriousness of the situation or do the necessary research. What I find especially disingenuous about the vaccine deniers is their arrogance at disbelieving immunology and other medical experts. Yet, if their child was sick or they themselves needed emergency medical treatment, how quickly would they do exactly what those same experts told them to do?”
He then continued saying, “[these athletes] 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.” The legendary NBA player then called out athletes of color, saying, “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 verified scientific evidence and reach a rational conclusion.” Stay tuned for more updates.
source: Rolling Stone
