Unsurprisingly, Andrew Wiggins was not interested in discussing his reported decision to not get a COVID-19 vaccine during Warriors Media Day on Monday.
Wiggins did, however, make it clear that he is not going to be swayed by outside pressure on the issue, and indicated that he has not changed his mind as training camp looms.
“My back is definitely against the wall,” Wiggins said. “I’m just going to keep fighting for what I believe, if it’s one thing or another. Should I get the vaccine, should I not, who knows? I’m just going to keep fighting for what I believe and what I believe is right. What’s right to one person, isn’t right to the other, and vice versa.”
Reports last week indicated that the Warriors are concerned Wiggins will not get the COVID-19 vaccine, one that is not currently being mandated by the league. According to rules that will soon be enacted by the city of San Francisco, that would mean Wiggins would not be able to play in home games at Chase Center. Wiggins only other hope to get around that rule was a religious exemption, but that was quickly denied by the league.
So what is it exactly that Wiggins believes in? He isn’t willing to share that.
“It’s none of your business,” Wiggins said. “That’s what it comes down to.”
“I’m just going to keep all that private right now…Anything that has to do with my status, vaccination, I’m going to keep it personal, private.”
So there you have it. Wiggins won’t say whether or not he’s vaccinated, which considering the reports and media firestorm surrounding them, almost guarantee that his is not. He also won’t say why, or what factors are playing into his decision. He would, however, comment on the fact that he stands to lose over $8 million this season if he is not able to play in any home games.
“It’s my problem. Not yours.”
Nobody else on the Warriors chose to comment in any detail on the matter. Well, at the podium that is. Dieter Kurtenbach of the Bay Area News Group overheard Wiggins’ new teammate, and old teammate in Minnesota, Nemanja Bjelica, telling him to get the jab.
The Warriors first regular season game is Oct. 19. Their first home game is Oct. 21 vs. the Clippers.