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Tim BontempsESPN
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — New York Knicks general manager Scott Perry said Friday afternoon that the organization — including all players, coaches and staff — is fully vaccinated, meaning the Knicks will have no issues with New York City’s vaccine mandate this season.
“I think it’s a credit to our players, in particular, that they took this thing very seriously and took the responsibility to get that done,” Perry said during a sit-down including him, team president Leon Rose and coach Tom Thibodeau at the team’s practice facility. “So, we’re very proud of that fact, and we’re gonna move forward.”
Earlier this month, the NBA informed teams that players whose home teams play in cities that have implemented local COVID-19 vaccine mandates — currently New York City and San Francisco — will have to abide by them.
The New York executive order, which went into effect on Sept. 13, states anyone over the age of 12 won’t be allowed to enter “certain covered premises” inside the city — including Barclays Center, Madison Square Garden and any other indoor gym or fitness setting — without providing proof of at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, unless there is an approved medical or religious exemption for them not doing so.
Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks said earlier this week that the Nets, as of now, would not have all of their players able to participate because of the mandate.
When asked if New York City’s mandate played a part in getting the entire organization vaccinated, Perry said it was a credit to not only the players but the team’s medical staff being on top of everything going on with the COVID-19 pandemic since last year.
“This was all internally driven,” Perry said. “Like I said, a lot of credit goes to our players, our medical staff. This is something that we’ve been on top of really the entire year, and again, just proud of our players for really stepping up and doing their part in this. We’re an organization that will obviously follow laws and mandates from the leagues and state government, but a lot of this was internally driven.”