Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics developed COVID-19 in January and still has lingering symptoms, even three months after his positive test. He told reporters earlier this week that he has started to need an inhaler before games since he returned to play. He is one of many people who had a COVID-19 diagnosis who have had health effects over the long term, going through what some have termed “long-haul” effects. The Centers for Disease Control describe these as issues that remain more than a month after a person’s positive test.
Read on to learn more about how COVID-19 continues to impact the basketball, and how it might affect your online NBA betting choices.
NBA News: COVID-19 Updates (April 15)
It does not help matters that a number of NBA players remain hesitant to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. On one hand, this makes sense, as pro athletes take a dim view of injections that contain chemicals that are strange to them, although some have made exceptions in the case of performance enhancing substances. Golden State Warriors wing Kent Bazemore indicated in a press conference that he would not receive the vaccine, a couple days after teammate Andrew Wiggins came out with the same stance.
Skepticism about the vaccine, especially in the African-American community, has a number of motivations. Throughout American history, people of color have found themselves used as guinea pigs — without any knowledge or consent — a number of times. Throughout the country, there is suspicion about almost any enterprise that the federal government is pushing with any intensity.
In the case of elite athletes, these pros often have rigorous beliefs about their own regimen of nutrition, diet, exercise and rest patterns. So while the NBA is encouraging players to receive the vaccine, it remains optional. To be sure, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the 2020-21 schedule many times, and the health and safety protocols (which include contact tracing) have kept dozens of players out of games. Bazemore’s seen this in his own locker room, as rookie center James Wiseman has had to quarantine on two different occasions, and Eric Paschall and Kevon Looney have also missed games because of contact tracing.
LeBron James has remained private about his own intentions, as he considers the decision to receive the vaccine a choice that players should be able to keep to themselves. He is one of the most rigorous players in the NBA when it comes to body maintenance and treatment.
Tatum is not the only player who has had a tough bout with COVID-19. Toronto’s Fred VanVleet ended up missing 2 ½ weeks, starting with a positive test result. While in isolation, he had two days of symptoms that were particularly painful. On a Zoom call with reporters, VanVleet indicated that he had body aches like he had just played games three nights in a row. His back was sore, and he had a severe headache, with pain behind his eyes, along with a fever for two days. He said that he had never felt any symptoms like this with any other disease.
The NBA has agreed to ease the health and safety rules for players who have been fully vaccinated, and the Chicago Bulls went through the process last week. Before heading out on a five-game road trip, the team had an opportunity to get the first dose of the PFizer vaccine, with the second dose to come three weeks later. Along with the Bulls, New Orleans, Portland, Atlanta and Oklahoma City have had vaccination opportunities. Once players receive full vaccination, they are allowed to dine at outdoor restaurants, go to meetings in person and go in and out of team facilities without masks. These chances at a normal life motivated several of the players to get the dose.
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