The most important storyline of Monday’s NBA media extravaganza was the small variety of gamers who remained unvaccinated towards COVID-19 heading into the 2021-22 season, and the way their selections might impression availability. The Lakers held their occasion on Tuesday, however the questions on vaccinations, unsurprisingly, continued.

Throughout his information convention, Los Angeles star LeBron James publicly declared for the primary time that he had been vaccinated. James famous the group by no means acquired collectively to have a dialog concerning the COVID-19 vaccine, however there was an understanding about the most effective methods to “all the time be obtainable and defend each other.” (A number of Lakers gamers said the workforce could be one hundred pc vaccinated earlier than their common season opener).

MORE: Kyrie Irving addresses uncertainty round vaccination standing

“The last word aim is to clearly win a championship, and it begins with being — clearly well being is the primary factor, and likewise simply holding one another accountable on the ground,” James mentioned. “We’re excited to know that we have given ourselves one other alternative to be obtainable to one another, and that is what it got here all the way down to.”

James admitted he was initially “skeptical,” however after doing a little analysis on the topic, he felt getting vaccinated was the suitable transfer for him and his household. Nevertheless, he did not need to place himself as a vaccine advocate, saying that he solely spoke for himself and would not use his platform to inform different folks what to do. A latest report from Rolling Stone’s Matt Sullivan indicated that league officers might ask James and reigning NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to seem in a vaccination PSA, however the NBA would not push them on the problem.

“We’re speaking about people’ our bodies,” James mentioned. “We’re not speaking about one thing that is political or racism or police brutality and issues of that nature. We’re speaking about peoples’ our bodies and well-beings. I do not really feel like, for me personally, that I ought to get entangled in what different folks ought to do for his or her our bodies and their livelihoods. It might be me, speaking about any person, if they need to take this job or not. Hear, you need to do what’s finest for you and your loved ones, if they need to relocate. You need to do what’s finest for your loved ones.

“I do know what I did for me and my household. I do know a few of my associates and what they did for his or her households. However so far as talking for everyone and their individualities and issues that they need to do, I do not really feel like that is — that is not my job.”

That wasn’t all James needed to say at Los Angeles’ media day. This is what else the longer term Corridor of Famer mentioned on Tuesday:

On the narrative and jokes concerning the Lakers being previous

“The narrative about our age, I sort of chortle at it. I truly actually do chortle at them. I am not simply saying that. A few of them, among the memes and among the jokes have been extraordinarily humorous. A few of it’s simply making an attempt to get folks to learn tabloids and issues of that nature. The sport is received in between these 4 strains. It isn’t received on a backside ticker. It isn’t received within the newspaper. It isn’t received on sports activities speak exhibits and issues of that nature.

“If we come out and we put the time in, we put the work in, we make our personal narrative. One factor that we all know, the place we’re, we acquired a bunch of men which were on this league for fairly some time that perceive and is aware of what it takes to win. That is the enterprise that we’re in, of profitable, doing it on a regular basis and never simply every so often. So, I sit up for that.”

On how Russell Westbrook will match with the Lakers

“It was thrilling serving to put this workforce collectively this summer time, understanding what I felt, and what all of us felt, that was gonna assist us be a title-contending workforce, make us as explosive as we could possibly be each offensively and defensively. We have been ready to try this. Clearly it is all about placing the work in. I am not simply gonna sit right here and speak about hypotheticals and issues of that nature, however we have now a workforce that is wanting ahead to placing within the work.

“So far as Russ, we’d like Russ to be Russ. We do not want Russ to alter for anyone. That is why we acquired him. It is our job to all assist him really feel comfy in our system. He is gonna be as dynamic as he is all the time been. So, I sit up for that.”

On what he has to show this season

“I’ve to show to my teammates that I am obtainable, that I am holding myself accountable, that I’m the chief that I say I’m, and that each evening I will be there for them by the ups and thru the downs. Day-after-day, I get up with that duty, and I take it to coronary heart. Management, for me, is just not a generally factor. It is three hundred and sixty five days, 366 on a intercalary year and 24/7. I observe it. I preach it. I dwell by it. That’s my aim. That’s my willpower.

“I’ve to show that to my guys each single day. That is what I maintain very, very excessive, and I maintain that to my coronary heart.”

On the significance of getting a full offseason to recuperate

“I mentioned it quite a few instances that the season got here too quick for everybody. Not solely us and the Warmth that performed within the Finals, however all people that was part of the ‘bubble’ and issues of that nature. However the 4 months that we have needed to sort of simply recalibrate, simply get again to clearly some relaxation, but in addition simply getting your thoughts again recent — (you are) ready to spend so much of time with your pals and your loved ones and issues of that nature, but in addition put plenty of work in, get wholesome, that you just weren’t in a position to do in that quick time frame from the ‘bubble’ to the beginning of final season. I feel all people’s sort of benefited from it.”

Watch LeBron James at Lakers media day