Gonzaga revokes John Stockton’s tickets over mask mandate
Hall of Famer John Stockton is one of Gonzaga’s most notable alums. But a conflict over the university’s mask mandate in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic has the two at odds, so much so that the school reportedly has suspended Stockton’s season tickets for men’s basketball games.
Per a report from The Spokesman-Review, Stockton met with Bulldogs athletic director Chris Standiford over complaints received for his defiance — and visibility in doing so — against wearing a mask at the school’s men’s basketball games.
“Basically, it came down to, they were asking me to wear a mask to the games and being a public figure, someone a little bit more visible, I stuck out in the crowd a little bit,” Stockton told The Spokesman-Review. “And therefore they received complaints and felt like from whatever the higher-ups — those weren’t discussed, but from whatever it was higher up — they were going to have to either ask me to wear a mask or they were going to suspend my tickets.”
John Stockton out here making Aaron Rodgers look like sane. https://t.co/IKgOiUJGbO
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) January 23, 2022
Stockton, who starred for the school from 1980-84, is the school’s all-time leader in steals (262) and has his No. 12 jersey hanging from the rafters.
He also has been a vocal critic of COVID-19 vaccines, shutdown measures and mask mandates. The 59-year-old offered his views in an anti-vaccine documentary last summer, making assertions about death counts relating to vaccines that are not deemed credible by medical professionals.
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Stockton believes his relationship with the university is strained but can be repaired.
“I’ve been part of this campus since I was probably 5 or 6 years old,” Stockton said. “I was just born a couple blocks away and sneaking into the gym and selling programs to get into games since I was a small boy. So, it’s strained but not broken, and I’m sure we’ll get through it, but it’s not without some conflict.”
Stockton enjoyed a 19-year NBA career with the Utah Jazz. He was an 11-time All-NBA selection, a 10-time All-Star and a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team (named in 2021-22).
–Field Level Media
