November 6, 2024

NBA champ Andrew Wiggins still regrets getting COVID-19 vaccine

While the vaccine let Wiggins enjoy the best year of his career, he’s still not happy about it. (Jed Jacobsohn/AP)

Despite enjoying the best season of his career, which included his first All-Star selection and a NBA championship, Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins is still lamenting his decision to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

“I still wish I didn’t get [vaccinated], to be honest with you,” Wiggins told FanSided earlier this week. He expressed a similar sentiment before the season began.

For parts of the season, local rules in San Francisco—like New York City—prohibited unvaccinated people from participating in indoor events, like professional basketball games.

Unlike Nets enigma Kyrie Irving, who only played 29 games in the 2021-22 season because of his vaccination status, Wiggins was inoculated before the season began after the NBA denied his religious exemption application.

“I did it, and I was an All-Star this year and champion, so that was the good part, just not missing out on the year, the best year of my career,” Wiggins said. “But for my body, I just don’t like putting all that stuff in my body, so I didn’t like that and I didn’t like that it wasn’t my choice. I didn’t like that it was either get this or don’t play.”

After lowering his risk for catching the potentially deadly virus, Wiggins posted 17.2 points per game while averaging almost 32 minutes a night. During the NBA Finals, he put up 17 points and 16 rebounds and 26 points and 13 rebounds in back-to-back games against the Boston Celtics.

Still, Wiggins, 27, said he wants to stick with the Warriors and potentially even sign a contract extension before next season.

“Being here, this is top-notch. The way they treat the players … we’re all one big family. I feel like a lot of places may say that, but they show it through their actions,” Wiggins said last month.