Pelinka Says All Lakers Players Will Be Fully Vaccinated By Season Opener
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – The general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers said Thursday he expects his entire roster to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 when the season kicks off next month.
Robert Pelinka told reporters Thursday in a video conference call that all the players will be vaccinated by opening night on Oct. 19.
"We will be on opening night, when we play the Golden State Warriors, all of the players that are currently signed on our roster, that night will be deemed fully vaccinated," Pelinka said.
The NBA this upcoming season will not require players to be vaccinated, sources told ESPN last week. About 85% of players are vaccinated, an NBA spokesperson told ESPN at the time.
Pelinka said the Lakers have been working with UCLA Health on the vaccination issue.
"We're really grateful for that, I think just in collaboration again with UCLA, and the doctors, people internally, we'll be grateful that we won't have interruptions caused by unvaccinated status of a player or staff member," Pelinka said.
Back in March, Lakers star LeBron James said that his decision regarding whether or not to get vaccinated was a private one.
"That's a conversation that, you know, my family and I will have," James said at the time. "And pretty much probably keep that to a private thing. Obviously I've seen Adam (Silver) had his comments about the vaccination and what not. But, you know, things like that, when you decide to do something, that's a conversation between you and your family and not for everybody."
Lakers training camp kicks of on Sept. 28.