Golden State Warriors player Andrew Wiggins has told the sports media that his vaccination status is simply “none of your business.”
The 26-year-old player is one of the tiny ten percent of NBA players who remain unvaccinated despite the heavy push to vaccinate the whole league against the coronavirus. But he also faces an even more difficult situation because, along with New York City, San Francisco is one of two cities in the U.S. that have mandated that all athletes be vaccinated before entering an arena or stadium.
Despite the pressure from the city, the league, and the left-wing sports media, Wiggins has remained steadfast against taking the vaccine. He also refuses to even talk about his vax status to the press.
“Anything that has to do with my status, vaccination, it’s a private matter,” Wiggins added. “So, I’m going to keep it personal and private.
“Back is definitely against the wall,” Wiggins admitted. “But just going to keep fighting for what I believe, whether it’s one thing or another, get the vaccination or not get the vaccination. 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, you know, vice versa.”
When asked why he won’t just explain what he believes, Wiggins said it isn’t any of their business.
“It’s none of your business is what it comes down to. I don’t ask you guys what you think is right or wrong. We’re different people,” Wiggins said. “Who are you guys where I have to explain what I believe? Or what’s right or what’s wrong in my mind. We’re two totally different people. What you think is not what I think. What I think is not what you think.”
Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, right, poses for photographer Noah Graham during the NBA basketball team’s media day in San Francisco, Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
It looks as if Wiggins is sticking to his guns. He recently asked for a religious exemption, but the league denied him out of hand. And now he won’t be able to meet the deadline unless he takes the Johnson & Johnson single-shot vaccine by Wednesday.
Some of his teammates also responded to Wiggins’ vax status. Team leader Steph Curry noted that he hopes that Wiggins changes his mind and said that he hopes to have a “full team for the entire year,” adding, “on all accounts and what research says and things like that, that it’s safe and we’re all in the same boat. We hope that he’s available, and if not, we adjust accordingly. But we hope not.”
For his part, Andre Iguodala said he thought that Wiggins was “painting the wrong picture” and that his vaccine refusal could hurt his “accumulation of wealth.”
However, Iguodala also said that Wiggins has “actual values” that he needs to follow.
“When you do your homework the way it should be done, you totally understand there’s people who have an excuse, and then there’s people who have actual values,” Iguodala continued. “And he’s a guy who has values. He’s a type of guy I’ll stand by, and he’s a type of guy I’ll risk being around the situation.
“Now, I’m vaccinated, and I have an understanding about this, and he has a different understanding, but his understanding is something that I truly respect, and I have a value for how he sees life. He’s a type of guy that I support the whole way, and hopefully, we can find a solution, and I think we will,” Iguodala concluded.
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