Los Angeles Clippers Coach Tyronn Lue said on Wednesday that his team is “fully vaccinated”against COVID-19.
“Our guys are vaccinated,” Lue said. “We just have to do whatever the league tells us to do, we try to abide by the rules and kind of go from there. And we talked about it last year, just being able to adapt and do what we need to do to play the game that we love.”
The Clippers coach stopped short of criticizing players who refused the vaccine. “Certain players, certain people have different beliefs, so I respect those beliefs,” Lue said. “And our guys are fully vaccinated, so I respect their beliefs as well.”
Lue’s announcement comes on the same day that the NBA confirmed that players who choose not to get the COVID-19 vaccine will not be paid for any games they miss.
According to the NBA, “those who are not fully vaccinated will need to be tested on all days involving practice or travel and likely will be tested twice on game days. They’ll also have to wear masks at team facilities and during travel.” Players and coaches who are vaccinated do not have to do regular COVID-19 testing. The league, however, has stopped short of requiring players to be vaccinated.
It’s unclear at this time if players will need to get tested on their days off.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Lakers Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar slammed anti-vax players calling them “a public health risk.”
“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,” Abdul-Jabbar said.