The NBA recently announced that it will not mandate for its players to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in order to take part in games. However, the requirements vary in some states in which the teams are located. While the majority of the players have reportedly taken one or two shots, there is still a significant amount of players who chose not to get injected.
Among them is Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving. According to his aunt, Tyki Irving, his decision is based on moral rather than religious stance. Due to the vaccination requirements in New York, the 29-year-old point guard would have to miss home games as well as games against the Knicks.
Irving’s aunt is still hopeful that the players and the league can reach some kind of agreement which would allow the players to play without taking the jab. The number of unvaccinated players is thought to be around 50-60.
Via Matt Sullivan of Rolling Stone:
“There are so many other players outside of him who are opting out, I would like to think they would make a way,” says Kyrie’s aunt, Tyki Irving, who runs the seven-time All-Star’s family foundation and is one of the few people in his regular circle of advisors. “It could be like every third game. So it still gives you a full season of being interactive and being on the court, but with the limitations that they’re, of course, oppressing upon you. There can be some sort of formula where the NBA and the players can come to some sort of agreement.”
Tyki Irving also made a point that the vaccine does not protect people from getting Covid or passing it on to other people, therefore, according to her, the best way is to find a solution between the league and the players.
“If it’s that freaking important to get a vaccine that, hell, it’s still not preventing the Covid, then I’d rather them working it out that way than to say, ‘Hey, if you don’t get the vaccine, then you can’t be a part of the franchise that you f*ckin’ helped build,’” she added.
This past season, Irving averaged 26.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6 assists per game for Brooklyn.