Magic Johnson has weighed in on basketball players who refuse the vaccine and are hurting their team’s chances in the process. The Los Angeles Lakers legend told CBS that players who opt out of getting the COVID-19 jab are “letting down” their teammates.
“You have said to your teammates, ‘I’m gonna be there for you,’” Johnson told CBS Monday. “Well, you can’t be there if you don’t get vaccinated. You’re letting them down. And then that hurts our chances of winning a championship. I would never do that to my teammates. Never.”
Johnson isn’t talking about his Lakers, because the entire team has been fully vaccinated.
The hall of famer told CBS that he opted to get vaccinated at a public event back in March to advocate for the COVID-19 shot.
“I got my two shots and made sure I put it out on social media,” Johnson told CBS. “I wanted, especially my community, to know, first of all, it’s safe. And the players, again, people listen to them, they follow them. That’s very important.”
Johnson did not mention any specific players in his interview, but it’s not hard to see that his comments are about Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving, among many others. Last week, the Nets announced that Irving would not be allowed to play or practice with the team or participate in indoor home games in light of New York’s vaccine mandate.
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Before their decision, he would’ve only been available for away games. His refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine has thrown his $186 million contract extension and his future with the team into question.
