Since Rolling Stone’s revealing piece on the league’s intense “civil war,” the vaccination topic has been an ongoing point of contention among the NBA community.
While most active players got their shots a while ago, there are some who remain hesitant and even combative against the COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
LeBron James, who had previously refused to comment on his family’s vaccination status, has long been speculated to be against taking the shot.
On NBA’s Media Day on Tuesday, the Lakers superstar did finally reveal the status of himself and his family, finally putting to bed all the anti-vaxx rumors.
“After doing my research and things of that nature, I felt like it was best suited not only for me, but for my family and for my friends, and that’s why I decided to do it,” said James.
Interestingly, LeBron refused to advocate for others to get the vaccine, remaining firm in his stance that people have a fundamental right to chose what they want to put in their bodies.
‘We’re talking about individuals’ bodies. We’re not talking about something that’s political or racism or police brutality, things of that nature. We’re talking about people’s bodies and well-being. So I don’t feel like, for me personally, that I should get involved in what other people do for their bodies and their livelihoods.”
As the face of the league, and arguably the best player in basketball history, LeBron James holds a lot of power and influence in today’s culture.
With a spotlight that big beaming down on him, it was rather bold of James to take such a conservative stance on the vaccine.
As players, analysts, and fans continue to demand that others get vaccinated, LeBron wants to highlight the importance of the right to choose.
We’ll see what kind of support (and backlash) will follow.
