LA Lakers and COVID vaccination: Who's vaccinated and who's not; we look at the developments

The LA Lakers Media Day was filled with smiles and excitement for the upcoming season. The Lakers are entering the 2021-22 NBA season as Western Conference favorites, and currently have the second-best odds of winning the championship, behind the Brooklyn Nets.

The star cast, headlined by LeBron James, sat down with the media and answered questions ranging from team chemistry, social justice reform and the team's vaccination status.

The biggest storyline in the NBA today is pertaining to the COVID-19 vaccine status of teams and players. The situation is evolving every day, and the league is doing the best it can to ensure the upcoming season runs smoothly with fans in attendance.

The cities of San Francisco and New York City have strict laws regarding COVID-19. They state that unvaccinated individuals cannot attend large indoor gatherings, such as a basketball arena. Hence, players like Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors and Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets find themselves in jeopardy.

However, the Lakers appear to be all above board with the NBA's COVID-19 protocols. The Purple and Gold contingent is not going to take any chances for the upcoming season as they wish to lift the Larry O'Brien trophy. LeBron James addressed the situation at the LA Lakers Media Day, saying:

"The ultimate goal is to, obviously win a championship, and it starts with being, obviously, health is the No. 1 thing...We’re excited to know that we’ve given ourselves another opportunity to be available to each other, and that’s what it came down to."

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Anthony Davis believes the entire LA Lakers team is vaccinated

Russell Westbrook (left) and Anthony Davis at the LA Lakers Media Day [Source: Los Angeles Times]

When the rest of the league was supposedly running away from the vaccination-related talks, the LA Lakers embraced the discussion.

As the oldest team in the league, they showed incredible maturity, and the entire team is reportedly vaccinated for the upcoming season. As LeBron James mentioned, they don't want to put themselves in a predicament where key players are unavailable for the team.

When asked whether he is vaccinated and what he feels about other players in the NBA refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine, James said:

"I can speak about myself...I know that I was very skeptical about it all, but after doing my research, I felt like it was best suited for not only me, but my friends. That's why I decided to do it...I don't talk about other people and what they should do."

"I speak for me and my family. That's what it's about. I know what I did for me and my family. I know what some of my friends did for their families. But as far as speaking for everybody and their individualities and things they want to do, that's not my job."

James maintains that it is a personal choice and that he refuses to advocate for anyone to take the COVID-19 vaccine. Anthony Davis concurred with James and shared his insight into why he decided to take the COVID-19 vaccine, saying:

"I just wanted to make sure I always protect my family, and that’s first and foremost, and myself and everyone else around me, and I feel like everyone else on the team feels the same way...That’s the main focus for us, making sure that our organization is doing everything we can to help the world, help the community and do our part."

Other LA Lakers players also chimed in regarding their vaccination status. Kent Bazemore who was admittedly against taking the vaccine initially changed course after a 'good call' with Rob Pelinka. Now Anthony Davis believes the entire LA Lakers team is ready for the upcoming season without any hitch.

You can check the LA Lakers' roster and preseason schedule here.