Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Canadian NBA star Wiggins relents, receives COVID-19 vaccine

Share
San Francisco -

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins has received his COVID-19 vaccine and will be eligible to play in all games.

The Warriors said coach Steve Kerr made the announcement to reporters Sunday after practice before the team traveled to Portland to play its first preseason game.

Wiggins faced the possibility of not being allowed into Golden State's home building at Chase Center for games starting Oct. 13 when the San Francisco Department of Public Health begins requiring proof of vaccination for large indoor events.

On Monday at media day, Wiggins had said he would stick to his beliefs regarding the vaccine but noted: "Back is definitely against the wall, but I'm just going to keep fighting for what I believe. I'm going to keep fighting for what I believe is right. What's right to one person isn't right to the other and vice versa."

The NBA said it "reviewed and denied" Wiggins' request for a religious exemption and that he would not be able to play in Warriors home games until he fulfilled the vaccine mandate. Anyone 12 or older is required to show proof of vaccination to attend indoor events at Chase Center, and that message is on the Warriors' website for fans.

Wiggins declined to explain what those beliefs actually entail, saying, "It's none of your business, that's what it comes down to."

He stood to lose more than US$350,000 per game, and if he didn't play in any home games would have surrendered half of his US$31.6 million salary.

"It's my problem not yours," he said.

The 26-year-old Wiggins, entering his eighth NBA season, averaged 18.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 blocks last season.

The Warriors' first regular-season home game is scheduled for Oct. 21 against the Los Angeles Clippers

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

An Edmonton man says he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was injured by members of the Edmonton Police Service last year.

The brother of a 27-year-old man who was fatally shot in Scarborough over the weekend has been arrested and charged in connection with his death, say police.

The Royal Canadian Mint has introduced its latest Gold Maple Leaf bullion coin – made entirely from gold sourced from a single mine in northern Ontario

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

Stay Connected