NBA Legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Continues To Advocate For COVID-19 Vaccines
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar continues to encourage the public to get vaccinated amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The league's all-time leading scorer, who dominated on the court for two decades, is now using his position as a leader in the community to advocate for vaccines.
"This virus is very easily spread through air. We can breathe it in and get something that can kill us," said Abdul-Jabbar. "That's a very dangerous element to be fooling around with."
The 19-time All-Star and six-time Most Valuable Player spent the majority of his career with the Lakers winning five championships with the purple and gold. He spoke about the individual responsibility that everyone has to get vaccinated.
"All of us should get on board and get vaccinated," said Abdul-Jabbar. "The vaccination is what's going to keep us safe and keep us healthy."
The players union says that more than 90 percent of NBA players are vaccinated - but there are a few holdouts - like Kyrie Irving.
"I think Kyrie is making a mistake. He has a responsibility to his family, to his teammates, to the people that he works with, to the people that come to see games," said Abdul-Jabbar. "So any possibility of spreading the COVID virus is an act of irresponsibility and he shouldn't take part in it."
READ MORE: Lakers Legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Slams Unvaccinated NBA Players
The three-time NCAA Champion at UCLA is insisting that the NBA and its players take a firmer stance on vaccination.
"The fact that people can find some way to justify not getting vaccinated is contributing to 2000 people dying each day," said Abdul-Jabbar. "We've got to do something about that."
He encourages anyone doubting the vaccine to look at the science and the numbers.
"97 percent of the people who are dying or hospitalized, have not been vaccinated," said Abdul-Jabbar. "That there should be adequate proof for anyone who has a doubt."
The NBA says the players union rejected its calls for a vaccine mandate, but the union says it has a vaccination rate of more than 90 percent which is well above the national average.