LeBron confirms receiving shot after being ‘skeptical’
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James said Tuesday he has been vaccinated against the coronavirus after evading questions about his vaccination status last season.
Several other high-profile NBA players, including Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins, have resisted getting vaccinated before the start of the NBA season next month.
“I think everyone has their own choice to do what they feel is right for themselves and their family,” James said. “I know that I was very skeptical about it all, but after doing my research and things of that nature, I felt like it was best suited for not only me but for my family and my friends, and that’s why I decided to do it.”
James did not say which vaccine he had taken, or the number of doses he had received. He also said he would not use his platform to publicly encourage others to be vaccinated.
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said last week he expects the team’s entire roster to be fully vaccinated before its season opener against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 19.
Protocols released for unvaccinated
The NBA released tentative health and safety protocols to its teams, detailing how unvaccinated players will be tested far more often than their vaccinated colleagues and face a slew of other restrictions.
Among the rules for unvaccinated players: They will not be able to eat in the same room with vaccinated teammates or staff, must have lockers as far away from vaccinated players as possible and must stay masked and at least 6 feet away from all other attendees in any team meeting.
Further, unvaccinated players will be “required to remain at their residence when in their home market,” teams were told in the draft of the rules, a copy of which was obtained by the Associated Press. They will also need to stay on team hotel properties when on the road. In both cases, there are limited permissible exceptions — such as going to buy groceries, taking children to school and the like.
Unvaccinated players also will not be permitted to visit “higherrisk settings,” the NBA said, such as restaurants, bars, clubs, entertainment venues and large indoor gatherings.
76ers’ Simmons not at camp as expected
Yes, that was Tyrese Maxey wearing Philadelphia 76ers’ first-team grays and running drills with Joel Embiid and three other returning starters.
The three-time All-Star guard Maxey replaced? Well, Ben Simmons was absent Tuesday from training camp at Camden, N.J., as expected as he tries to persuade the Sixers to trade him, even with $147 million and four years left on his contract.
Sixers coach Doc Rivers clings to the belief, however improbable, that Simmons may show up at training camp or at some point this season to try to lead the Sixers back to the top of the Eastern Conference.
“I do believe at some point he will be,” Rivers said. “Right now, I’m going to focus on the guys that are on the floor. I think that’s more important.”