Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James found himself in some hot water after he violated the NBA’s Health protocols after deciding to attend an outdoor promotional event for his tequila brand earlier in the week.
However, he’ll be avoiding suspension.
“It’s a violation of the agreed upon protocols, and, as we have in other comparable instances around the league, it has been addressed with the team,” a league spokesman told ESPN on Friday.
All attendees at the event had to provide proof that they’d received the COVID-19 vaccination, something that James has yet to publicly reveal. Any NBA player caught violating the rules is subject to warning, fines and suspensions, and further discipline if the rules continue to be broken.
However, the League didn’t consider the event a threat for spreading COVID-19.
“Anything I do off the floor is predicated to my family, for the majority — for 99.9% of that,” James said on Friday. “So it’s about the health and safety of my family, and that’s what it came down to.
“Me being available to my teammates on the floor is me taking care of my body. Me doing everything I can do to make sure I’m available both mentally, physically and spiritually, as well. But anything of that nature, that’s all family talk.”
According to Lakers coach Frank Vogel, the team hasn’t reached the 85% vaccinated threshold that would allow some of the health and safety protocols to be lowered.
“We have not reached it yet, but we’re still hopeful,” Vogel said. “And I think there’s obvious benefits from the standpoint of us being able to do more things with each other in the cities that we’re going to. Something that’s been absent leaguewide in terms of team building and team bonding for all of us.
“It’s been a challenge. So if we’re able to reach that threshold then, obviously, we can do more.”
– – Quotes via Dave McMeniman of ESPN Link – –
