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Former Utah Jazz guard John Stockton has not complied with mask mandates indoors, but the statue of him outside Vivint Arena has. Stockton revealed earlier in January that he is no longer allowed to attend college basketball games at his alma mater, Gonzaga, because he will not adhere to the school’s mask protocols.
So, someone trolled the basketball legend by adding a mask to the statue of Stockton outside of where the Jazz play.
According to a report by the Spokesman-Review, Gonzaga suspended Stockton’s basketball season tickets over his refusal to comply with the school’s mask mandate. He reportedly refused to put on a mask at a Gonzaga basketball game recently when asked.
Stockton, who has opposed COVID lockdowns and mask mandates while also questioning the efficacy of mRNA COVID vaccines, indicated that his alma mater informed him of the suspension through a conversation that was “congenial” but also “not pleasant”
Furthermore, in that same report from the Spokesman-Review, Stockton claimed that “tens of thousands of people — perhaps millions — have died from vaccines,” including over 100 pro athletes. The claims have been debunked.
Many have spoken out against Stockton’s claims, including fellow NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“I think statements like that make the public look upon athletes as basically dumb jocks for trying to explain away something that is obviously a pandemic and the best way to fight pandemics is through vaccination and testing … It doesn’t make sense what he’s saying,” Abdul-Jabbar told CNN.
A Washington native, Stockton played at Gonzaga from 1980 to 1984 before spending 19 years in the NBA with the Utah Jazz.
