The NBA has denied Andrew Wiggins’ request for a vaccination exemption, leaving the Golden State Warriors swingman ineligible to play house video games till he meets San Francisco’s vaccination requirement.
The ruling was introduced Friday, hours after the New York Knicks mentioned their total roster is vaccinated, making all their gamers eligible to play of their house video games.
Due to native coronavirus laws in New York and San Francisco, the Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Warriors are required to be vaccinated to play of their house arenas except they’ve an exemption for medical or non secular causes.
Wiggins sought an exemption from the NBA for non secular causes.
“The NBA has reviewed and denied Andrew Wiggins’ request for non secular exemption from the San Francisco Division of Public Well being’s order requiring COVID-19 vaccination for all contributors age 12 and older at massive indoor occasions,” the league mentioned in a press release. “Wiggins will be unable to play in Warriors house video games till he fulfills town’s vaccination necessities.”
The San Francisco Division of Public Well being made clear earlier Friday that there could be no exemption for anybody 12 and older at massive indoor gatherings.
“Beneath the present order, if unvaccinated, they can’t enter indoor areas whatever the cause they’re unvaccinated and can’t check out of this requirement even when they’ve a medical or non secular exemption,” it mentioned in a press release.
Unvaccinated NBA gamers are allowed to play this season, although the league has mentioned that they must be examined day by day on follow and journey days and a minimum of as soon as — presumably extra — on recreation days. Totally vaccinated gamers won’t be topic to day by day testing.
Nonetheless, the Knicks, Nets and Warriors face stricter guidelines due to native laws, which the NBA has instructed groups don’t apply to golf equipment visiting them.
Nets basic supervisor Sean Marks mentioned earlier this week {that a} couple gamers would not but be eligible however that he was assured everybody would be capable of take part by the point the common season begins Oct. 19.
Wiggins nonetheless has time, as San Francisco’s mandate would not take impact till the center of subsequent month. Coaching camps open Tuesday.
The NBA has struck agreements this offseason to have just about all events concerned in video games — referees, coaches, stat-crew employees and anybody else who will likely be in shut proximity to gamers on or off the courtroom in NBA arenas — vaccinated with a purpose to take part.
The one exception is the gamers themselves, with the Nationwide Basketball Gamers Affiliation rebuking all efforts from the NBA to mandate that they be vaccinated. About 85% of gamers have been vaccinated on the finish of final season. The leaguewide determine is believed to have elevated since then.
Data from The Related Press was used on this report.