Kyrie Irving will not be able to play for, or practice with, the Brooklyn Nets until he's fully vaccinated.
They confirmed the news in a statement from General Manager, Sean Marks on Tuesday.
The Nets are due to begin their regular season campaign away to Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday-week, and they'll do so without their All Star guard.
New York has been joined by San Francisco and Los Angeles in implementing vaccine mandates for home teams. That means unvaccinated players - like Irving - are unable to play at home for their respective teams.
The NBA announced last month that unvaccinated players would be fined if they are unable to participate in home matches due to the mandate.
“I am protected by God and so are my people,” Irving tweeted at the weekend.
He was involved in an outdoor fan event on Saturday, but didn't travel with his teammates for Monday's pre-season game with the 76ers.
“Given the evolving nature of the situation and after thorough deliberation, we have decided Kyrie Irving will not play or practice with the team until he is eligible to be a full participant," Marks said on Tuesday.
I am protected by God and so are my people. We stand together.
— A11Even (@KyrieIrving) October 9, 2021
The Nets GM added, "Kyrie has made a personal choice, and we respect his individual right to choose.
"Currently the choice restricts his ability to be a full-time member of the team, and we will not permit any member of our team to participate with part-time availability.
"It is imperative that we continue to build chemistry as a team and remain true to our long-established values of togetherness and sacrifice.
"Our championship goals for the season have not changed, and to achieve these goals each member of our organisation must pull in the same direction.
"We are excited for the start of the season and look forward to a successful campaign that will make the borough of Brooklyn proud.”
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