Wiggins is vaccinated but says it’s ‘not really something we believe in as a family’
Golden State Warriors small forward Andrew Wiggins has reluctantly received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, thus is eligible to play in all 82 games during the upcoming NBA regular season.
“The only options were to get vaccinated or not play in the NBA,” Wiggins, a 26-year-old, eight-year NBA veteran out of the University of Kansas, told reporters Monday night after the Warriors’ 121-107 exhibition victory against Portland.
“It was a tough decision. Hopefully, it works out in the long run and in 10 years I’m still healthy,” he added, his comments appearing in a story at ESPN.com.
Wiggins’ decision to get vaccinated means he will keep his entire $31.6 million salary during the upcoming 2021-22 season. He would have not been able to play in 41 home games because of city COVID regulations and thus would have lost half his earnings potential had he decided to not receive the vaccine. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Wiggins would have lost more than $350,000 a game if he was unable to play in the 41 home games.
The San Francisco Department of Public Health requires anyone age 12 or over to be vaccinated to attend indoor events. Starting Oct. 13 Warriors players must show proof of vaccination before entering their home arena (Chase Center), unless there is an approved medical or religious exemption.
Wiggins applied for a religious exemption but it was denied by the NBA last weekend.
“It feels good to play, but getting vaccinated, that’s going to be something that stays in my mind for a long time,” Wiggins said as reported by ESPN.com. “It’s not something I wanted to do, but I was forced to.”
Wiggins told reporters he is the only member of his family who is vaccinated.
“It’s not really something we believe in as a family,” he said. “They know that I had to. It came down to get the vaccination or don’t play basketball. I’m 26. I have two kids. I want more kids. I’m trying to do something that will generate as much money as I can for my kids and my future kids, create generational wealth. So, I took the gamble, took the risk, and hopefully, I’m good.”
Wiggins told reporters that he at an undisclosed time actually had COVID-19 and “it wasn’t too bad.” He said he carries an EpiPen because of an allergic reaction to medicine he took a couple years ago.
“I know a lot of people get reactions or injuries from getting the vaccination, so I don’t know what it’s going to do to me in 10 years,” he said as reported by ESPN.com.
“I feel like I could go on for days about why I didn’t want to get it. Most importantly, I don’t know what’s going to happen or what it’s going to do to my body in 10, 20 years. ... But I guess it’s something that had to get done.”
Wiggins said he had chills and some body aches after being vaccinated. He scored 13 points on Monday.
He said he does not blame the Warriors organization in any way for his having to get vaccinated if he wished to play in home games.
“They didn’t make the rule,” Wiggins said as reported by ESPN.com. “But I guess to do certain stuff, to work, I guess you don’t own your body. That’s what it comes down to. If you want to work in society today, then I guess they made the rules of what goes in your body and what you do. Hopefully, there’s a lot of people out there that are stronger than me and keep fighting, stand for what they believe, and hopefully, it works out for them.”
Wiggins played at KU one season (2013-14) before heading to the NBA. He averaged 17.1 points and 5.9 rebounds a game. He was the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
This story was originally published October 5, 2021 at 1:29 PM with the headline "Wiggins is vaccinated but says it’s ‘not really something we believe in as a family’."
