Prior to the start of the 2021-22 NBA regular season, Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal was one of a few players who was outspoken about his decision to not get a COVID-19 vaccine.
However, his status reportedly changed recently.
According to a
Bradley Beal has received a covid-19 vaccine, according to multiple sources. He remains in health & safety protocols and will not play in Miami tonight.
— Ava Wallace (@avarwallace) December 28, 2021
“>Tuesday report from Ava Wallace of
Bradley Beal has received a covid-19 vaccine, according to multiple sources. He remains in health & safety protocols and will not play in Miami tonight.
— Ava Wallace (@avarwallace) December 28, 2021
“>The Washington Post, Beal has received a COVID-19 vaccine. It’s unclear exactly when the 28-year-old got vaccinated or what changed his mind, but it sounds like the 28-year-old has finally relented on his preseason stance.
The timing of Wallace’s report is bizarre, considering Beal has been in the NBA’s health and safety protocols for the last week. He was originally listed as questionable to return for Tuesday’s matchup against the Miami Heat, but was ultimately ruled out when he couldn’t clear the league’s protocols.
The NBA world was abuzz after the report about Beal’s vaccination status. While some hypothesized about why the Wizards star chose to get the vaccine at this specific time, others just celebrated the fact that he got it at all.
Beal has yet to comment publicly about what led to his decision to get the vaccine.
Apart from the discussion about his vaccination status, Beal has had a frustrating 2021-22 campaign. He’s averaging just 23.3 points per game, which is well off his mark of 31.3 PPG from last year.
Although his assist numbers have gone up considerably from the 2020-21, he’s shooting much worse from beyond the arc, posting a dismal 28.3 percentage from three-point land.
After a strong start that saw them rank among the top teams in the conference, the Wizards have plummeted to 17-16 in recent weeks. Washington is currently tied for sixth in the East.