"I don’t see the wisdom in putting something into my body that’s not going to stop me from getting the virus" - Orlando Magic forward continues to speak against NBA’s vaccination mandate
NBA and Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac has come out and brought immense scrutiny to the Covid-19 vaccination as the Magic player doesn't believe in the vaccination.
Isaac was questioned about why he did not get the vaccine, despite most of his peers in the NBA being willing to get the jab. Jonathan Isaac divulged the thinking behind his stance as he believes the Covid-19 vaccination is something that is being forced upon people. Isaac said:
"It seemed forced. It seemed like there is so much pressure, and I really didn't feel like I had a wise, you know, standing on why I needed to take it myself. I'm young, I'm healthy, I don't have any comorbidities, and one I already had Covid in the past. So, I said, I don’t see the wisdom in putting something into my body that’s not going to stop me from getting the virus in the first place or transmitting it. So that's why I decided to be the only player on my team not to get vaccinated and go about it like that."
Jonathan Isaac was drafted into the NBA IN 2017 as the sixth overall pick by the Orlando Magic, but injuries have taken a toll on the 24-year-old as he is currently out with a knee injury.
Orlando Magic player Jonathan Isaac on why he didn’t get the covid vaccine: “I don’t see the wisdom in putting something into my body that’s not going to stop me from getting the virus.” https://t.co/IuwsdLUBbB
NBA player's stance against the Covid-19 vaccination
With the way the world has unraveled due to Covid-19, the NBA had to institute a rule so that the players are vaccinated, and while this is not mandatory, the borough of Brooklyn and other places do have a vaccination mandate which prevents players living in that city from participating in games.
The headline act for the anti-vaxxers in the NBA is Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets. He was ineligible to partake in games held in Brooklyn until the mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, lifted that rule. Players like Kyrie have used their platform and freedom of speech to promote their stance to the masses.
"I just didn't feel like it would benefit me. I didn't see any benefits outweighing what I could seek from alternative medicine." –– @MatisseThybulle
Sixers' Matisse Thybulle is ineligible for the playoff games in Toronto because he is unvaccinated.
https://t.co/I7xQmaCoUl
Philadelphia 76ers star Matisse Thybulle is another player who was not vaccinated and was ineligible to enter Canada and participate in the first-round series against the Toronto Raptors.
Earlier on in the season, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James made his feelings clear about the vaccine as he was unsure about getting the jab but did reveal that he was fully vaccinated. Boston Celtics players Jaylen Brown and Al Horford are also unvaccinated like Thybulle and Irving.
These players and their hesitancy to get the vaccination have led to former legends like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scolding them for misinforming the public.