Washington Wizards superstar Bradley Beal has been the catalyst in the Washington Wizards surprising (7-3) start. His leadership has given new head coach Wes Unseld Jr. a sense of calm as he leads the franchise his dad, Wed Unseld Sr., led to its only NBA title in 1978.
Wes Unseld Jr. Looks To Revive Wizards & Establish His Own Culture
Beal has been a leader in the clubhouse and a member of the non-vaccinated. Although he isn’t deterring others from receiving it, he’s sticking to his beliefs and won’t be getting it. He joins the likes of Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving, Orlando Magic player Jonathan Isaac and a few other players.
NBA fans all around have become perplexed as to why these guys won’t receive the vaccine, but again it’s their choice.
Ted Cruz Shows Beal Unwanted Support
Texas Senator Ted Cruz took to Twitter last month to offer his support to Beal and any other player who hasn’t received the vaccine.
“I stand with Kyrie Irving”
“I stand with Andrew Wiggins”
“I stand with Bradley Beal”
“I stand with Jonathan Isaac”
I stand with Kyrie Irving.
I stand with Andrew Wiggins.
I stand with Bradley Beal.
I stand with Jonathan Isaac.#NBA#YourBodyYourChoice https://t.co/kn74nwjVRV
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) September 29, 2021
Beal just responded a little over a month later and wasn’t feeling the shoutout and let it be known via Ava Wallace of The Washington Post.
“Don’t attach me to that. Because that’s not what I was trying to do. I’m not sitting here advocating for people not to get it. … I’ve never met you, I don’t talk to you and I don’t support you or anything you do. That’s a little weird. That’s why I don’t like social media. Ted, you know damn well I ain’t rockin with you. You’re not going to get no cool points if that’s what you’re in it for.”
Beal also told Wallace he’s more open to the idea, with his two young sons now attending preschool.
Cruz And Other Athletes Have Butted Heads In The Past Over BLM, Sports and Politics
The typical sports and politics collision, which is always heightened during election years, garnered even more attention following the murder of George Floyd and the outcry from athletes around the globe championing against police brutality. “Black Lives Matter” was at the center of developing social issues, along with COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Cruz has long been a polarizing figure who leans heavily to the right on issues and is a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump. Cruz is known for taking shots at NBA players when it’s politically convenient. His puzzling and misinformed comments about LeBron James resonates when you think of how Cruz conducts his business.
“With his box-office power, he could be even more courageous — he could SOLVE the problem — by saying: ‘I stand with my fellow players. And I won’t play in any arena that bans another NBA player because they made a personal health choice.’ ”
Cruz is a mouthpiece looking for an opportunity to flap his gums and he saw a chance to align himself with NBA players in order to boost his political party’s popularity. Any other time, the prevailing thought among prominent right-wing politicians is that athletes should just “Shut Up And Dribble.”
Cruz has a proven track record of being in line with what benefits him or his party’s agenda. Never what’s really right or wrong. Just for the party. He infuses the politics in sports as much as anybody. This is the same guy who left his state with no electricity and water amid a winter storm while he vacationed in Cancun.
Beal might not be vaxxed, but he let it be known that vaccination status may be where he and Cruz’s similarities end.
