Knicks Are Fully Vaccinated Ahead of 2021-22 Season, Scott Perry Says

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New York Knicks general manager Scott Perry said Friday that the team’s entire roster is fully vaccinated.

According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Perry said the following regarding the 100 percent vaccination rate: “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. So, we’re very proud of that fact, and we’re gonna move forward.”

Perry noted that all of the Knicks’ coaches and staff members are vaccinated against COVID-19 as well.

Bontemps noted that it was especially important for the Knicks to get to a 100 percent vaccination rate since New York City has a vaccine mandate that requires anyone over the age of 12 to show proof of receiving at least one dose of the vaccine before entering certain indoor venues.

The Knicks’ home area, Madison Square Garden, is included in the mandate, as is the Brooklyn Nets’ Barclays Center.

Since the NBA has made it clear that it will follow local COVID-19 mandates such as the ones in New York City and San Francisco, home players who are not vaccinated will not be permitted to play in those locations.

Nets GM Sean Marks said this week that his team is not 100 percent vaccinated, and Yaron Weitzman of Fox Sports reported that Kyrie Irving is among the Nets players who have not gotten vaccinated yet.

The Knicks are coming off a surprisingly successful season, as they went 41-31 in 2020-21 and reached the playoffs. That marked their first postseason appearance since 2012-13.

With the likes of Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier and Derrick Rose leading the way, the Knicks will look to improve upon their first-round playoff exit in 2021-22.