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Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. is the latest NBA player to chime in with his take and explain the rationale behind his decision not to be vaccinated as the debate over anti-vaxxers and their reluctance to take the vaccine continues to rage in and around NBA circles.
Porter is in line to make a significant jump after an efficient 2020-21 season in which he averaged 19 points and 7.3 rebounds in 61 outings. This was a huge leap after his debut season and he was offered a new max-extension as a reward for his efforts. This should have given him the added boost he needed to take his game up a notch while being a crucial part of the Nuggets' rotation.
Hence Michael Porter Jr's decision not to get vaccinated, leading to him being vulnerable to the infection and missing a lot of time, especially in a season where Denver needed him the most, was puzzling for many keeping an eye on the situation.
However, in an interview with The Ringer's Rob Mahoney, Porter clarified that he was not against the vaccine but had other reasons to remain unvacinated. Porter said,
My main thing is: We don’t have years and years of data for how it can affect you. So for me, I know I’m immune to COVID right now—more immune than a lot of people with the vaccine are. I’ve had it twice. I’ve got the antibodies, all those things. It’s just laying off on it for now.
I’m not against the vaccine. What I’m against is not allowing other people to have a choice, or people trying to force it on other people.
The Denver Nuggets will hope that Michael Porter Jr. gets jabbed sooner rather than later in a season where they will need his scoring ability to take the pressure off Nikola Jokic's shoulder, with them having no timeline for the return of star guard Jamal Murray.
Will Michael Porter Jr.'s decision not to be vaccinated harm the Nuggets playoff goals?
Michael Porter Jr. was all set for a significant leap this season in terms of numbers and showed flashes of great potential with much better consistency during the 2020-21 season. Porter made a significant leap across the board from his rookie season and looked like he was heading in the right direction after being rewarded with a max-extension for his efforts.
However, his latest stance on not getting vaccinated in a season where he could be crucial to Denver's playoff hopes should be worrisome for the Nuggets.
Denver will hope that Porter gets jabbed at some point, making himself available to the team on a regular basis if not things can go sideways soon, with the added burden on star center Nikola Jokic and an accelerated timeline for Jamal Murray due to his unavailability.
Without Porter's elite scoring and shooting ability, Denver could crash out in the first-round of the playoffs in a loaded Western Conference or entirely miss it in a disastrous scenario for the franchise.
Guess the Lakers players!
