More than 90 percent of NBA players are vaccinated against Covid-19 and LeBron James is among them.

Last week, Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka announced the team would be “deemed fully vaccinated,” by opening night, putting to rest the idea that LeBron might be against the jab. During Lakers Media Day Tuesday morning, LeBron met with reporters and addressed his vaccination status.

Asked if he feels compelled to send a message to the rest of the country about getting vaccinated, LeBron would only speak about himself.

“Everyone has their own choice to do what they feel is right for them and their family and things of that nature,” LeBron said. “I know I was very skeptical about it all, but after doing my research and things of that nature I felt like it was best suited for not only me, but for my family and my friends.”

“I don’t talk about other people and what they should do, I speak for me and for my family,” LeBron added, a claim that might receive pushback from the “shut up and dribble” crowd. The NBA superstar frequently speaks out on societal issues that he feels strongly about, but remains hesitant to give a strong endorsement of the vaccine.

“We’re talking about individual’s bodies,” LeBron explained. “We’re not talking about something that’s political, or racism, or police brutality and things of that nature. We’re talking about people’s bodies and well-beings. So I don’t feel like for me personally that I should get involved in what other people should do for their bodies.”

Despite LeBron’s explanation, the vaccine has become a political issue. Those who encourage and endorse getting vaccinated believe that it’s about more than “individual’s bodies,” because that unvaccinated individual can infect and endanger others.

Vaccine hesitancy has been especially prevalent in the Black community. And LeBron’s months of silence on the issue led many to believe he did not want to get vaccinated.

There is value in a heroized person such as LeBron endorsing the vaccine to potentially ease some of that hesitancy, especially as others like Kyrie Irving remain against the jab. Despite overcoming his own vaccine skepticism, LeBron declines to share what research and information he relied on that influenced him to get the jab.

Watch above via JER-Sports Journalist

The post LeBron James is Vaccinated, But Refuses to Endorse it For Others: ‘Everyone Has Their Own Choice’ first appeared on Mediaite.

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