Report: 95% of NBA Players Vaccinated

As COVID-19 continues to ravage the country, and the world at large, hundreds of millions of Americans have been vaccinated against the disease. That figure now includes 95% of NBA players, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

In a recent report, he notes that that number is up from the start of training camp, suggesting that local mandates are the main cause behind the recent rise:

That uptick — which includes players who’ve minimally received one vaccination shot, sources said — comes as unvaccinated players prepare for losses of salary for games missed in the Bay Area and New York due to local governmental mandates.

The story of unvaccinated players such as a Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving and Washington’s Bradley Beal consumed the news cycle surrounding the opening of training camps Monday, but teams indicates that a number of factors — including continued education on the safety of the vaccine — have contributed to the increase in player participation.

Near the opening of training camps, the NBA had approximately 90% of its players vaccinated.

Earlier this month, the league announced stricter restrictions for non-vaccinated players, and mandated the vaccine for all team and arena staff in late August. The Portland Trail Blazers recently announced a 100% vaccination rate among players on the current roster.

Damian Lillard explained why he elected to receive the vaccine at the first opportunity during the team’s Media Day earlier this week:

Proof of vaccination will be required to attend any Blazer home game or other Rose Quarter event this season.