Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Berates John Stockton’s Anti-Vaccine Stance, Says it Makes ‘the Public Look Upon Athletes Basically as Dumb Jocks’
Outspoken NBA Hall of Famer Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar blasted a fellow Hall of Famer for stating false news about COVID-related deaths pertaining to professional athletes. Abdul-Jabbar stated that comments like his give people the impression that “athletes” are “basically dumb jocks.”
According to The Hill, the former Lakers legend slammed former Utah Jazz guard John Stockton because of statements he made regarding vaccination among professional athletes.
Stockton was in the news because his alma mater suspended his season ticket passes. He would attend the games without a mask where it is required on the campus of Gonzaga University where he played collegiate basketball before ascending to the NBA.
In an interview with The Spokesman-Review, the former player admitted that he was banned from the campus and said, “Basically, it came down to, they were asking me to wear a mask to the games and being a public figure, someone a little bit more visible, I stuck out in the crowd a little bit. And therefore they received complaints and felt like from whatever the higher-ups – those weren’t discussed, but from whatever it was higher up – they were going to have to either ask me to wear a mask or they were going to suspend my tickets.”
Stockton followed up stating that more than 100 professional athletes had died from COVID after being vaccinated.
“I think it’s highly recorded now, there’s 150 I believe now, it’s over 100 professional athletes dead – professional athletes – the prime of their life, dropping dead that are vaccinated, right on the pitch, right on the field, right on the court.”
This prompted a response from Abdul-Jabbar during a recent interview with CNN.
“I think statements like that make the public look upon athletes basically as dumb jocks, for trying to explain away something that is obviously a pandemic,” said Abdul-Jabber. “I don’t understand anyone saying anything else. It doesn’t make sense what he’s saying. This is a preventative measure that has been useful in many different circumstances.”
“We have to use common sense and approach this in a way that gets the results we want to get. “I think John’s reaction to the vaccine is extreme and not based on reality or facts. If John could just check the facts out he would understand that this vaccine is saving lives and preventing people from having serious reactions to the virus. It won’t eliminate the virus overnight, but it will stop people from dying and will stop people from becoming seriously ill.”
Responding on @CNN to John Stockton’s comments in the @SpokesmanReview — specifically Stockton’s implication pro athletes have died from vaccines — NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says, “I think statements like that make the public look upon athletes like dumb jocks.” pic.twitter.com/BVCCoezb5m
— Theo Lawson (@TheoLawson_SR) January 24, 2022
