Report: NBA teams told they can't access vaccines beyond public prioritization
The NBA league office has made it clear teams cannot independently "engage in efforts to procure or administer COVID-19 vaccinations on a team-wide basis" that's not acceptable under the CDC's recommended approach to vaccine prioritization, according to a memo obtained by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Commissioner Adam Silver had already vowed the league will not leverage its power to help players and staff "jump the line."
However, Silver added: "There are some other members of the NBA community working on court who are older and will have a higher priority to get the vaccine."
The CDC guidelines say people 65 and older should have quicker access to vaccinations. Among prominent NBA personnel, the San Antonio Spurs' Gregg Popovich, 71, is the only active head coach who meets that criteria, though a number of assistant coaches and team staff around the league also qualify.
Other exceptions listed in the NBA's memo include team healthcare staff and those with underlying medical conditions, according to Wojnarowkski. Those groups align with current CDC guidelines.
"There’s people right now that need the vaccine more than what we do," Los Angeles Lakers center Marc Gasol told reporters earlier this month, according to USA Today's Mark Medina. "We are very fortunate to be in a very safe environment.
"Statistically, the virus doesn’t affect a 35-year-old male as much as it affects other people that are more at risk and more vulnerable to the virus. I would prefer the vaccine goes to people that need it the most instead of us. That to me is just common sense.”
However, public health experts believe some influential players should receive vaccinations ahead of schedule as an act of public service.
On Monday, the U.S. Surgeon General suggested Gasol's teammate LeBron James receiving the vaccine could help ease concerns among the general public about the safety of the current vaccine offerings.
"LeBron James, I know you’ve been a big supporter of masks," Dr. Jerome Adams said on KTLA 5 Morning News on Monday. "I want to know when you’re going to take the shot. Not the basketball shot, but the COVID shot. Because I did it because I know it’s safe, and we want to make sure people understand this is how we end the pandemic."
The NBA's latest memo reiterated experts have determined that both of the two FDA-approved vaccines, those by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, are "safe and effective," per Wojnarowski.