With the start of the regular season nearing, the race is on for unvaccinated NBA players to become immunized against COVID-19.
When unvaccinated players travel to Toronto for a game, they could face some harsh penalties if they breach quarantine.
Sources: NBA players were informed unvaccinated players who breach quarantine in Toronto face criminal offense. Unvaccinated players only able to leave hotel for team activities. Per Canada's Quarantine Act, violations could lead to up to 6 months in prison and/or $750K in fines.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 7, 2021
Some jurisdictions in the United States, such as New York City and San Francisco, have enacted stringent laws requiring all people to have gotten the jab prior to entering certain facilities and businesses.
As a result, a few NBA players could be forced to miss some games.
One prime example is Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, who has reportedly been steadfast in his refusal to get vaccinated. Kevin Durant still considers him part of the team, but Irving has been unable to be present at practices recently.
However, there is some hope.
Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins is another player that was reluctant to get the shot, but he recently got vaccinated. Time will tell if any NBA player ends up breaching quarantine while in Toronto.