John Stockton 'delighted' by Gonzaga's removal of COVID-19 vaccine mandate, 'disappointed' in university's statement

Stockton has not attended a Gonzaga home game in over a year

It’s not hard to remember a time when former Gonzaga and Utah Jazz point guard John Stockton was a fixture at his alma mater’s home basketball games.

The NBA Hall of Famer’s absence from McCarthey Athletic Center stretches back to the 2021-22 season when his tickets were suspended for failing to comply with Gonzaga’s face mask requirement.

He was eligible to attend games this past season but elected against doing so, citing his objection to the school’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students, employees, contractors and volunteers.

Although Gonzaga announced on April 25 that it plans to stop requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination after May 15, Stockton expressed mixed feelings in a statement to Gonzaga Nation.

“At first blush, I am delighted by Gonzaga’s President Thayne McCulloh’s announcement that they will no longer require Covid injections and boosters as a prerequisite for the opportunity to attend and work at this great university,” Stockton wrote.

“However, having read the entire letter, I am saddened and concerned that, like most other universities, we haven’t learned important lessons from the pandemic.”

Stockton was particularly displeased by the school’s continuation of a policy that allows professors to require face masks in classrooms.

“Masks have been shown to be ineffective at stopping virus transmission and requiring masks may infringe on a student’s rights,” he said.

Stockton also condemned Gonzaga for mentioning Paxlovid as a treatment for COVID-19, arguing that it’s the role of the student’s physician to prescribe medication, not the university's administration.

He went deeper in discussing pandemic-related policies and his relationship with Gonzaga in a recent episode of the Gonzaga Nation podcast with Dan Dickau.

Asked about his motivation for taking a stand against masking and COVID-19 vaccines, Stockton brought up the well-being of students.

“I sat across from the students at those games and just said ‘wow, I’m, I'm contributing to this,’” he said about his refusal to comply with Gonzaga’s requirements. “How can I sit here and be like, ‘that’s okay,’ knowing that it’s going to harm those kids either now or in the future?”

Stockton has publicly denounced Gonzaga’s COVID-19 policies on several occasions, including in an episode of the “Fearless with Jason Whitlock” YouTube show.

“For me, it’s a big issue of how you treat your students,” he said during the three-hour program titled “The ‘COVID Cartel’ & the Price for Freedom. “It’s maybe the most important issue.”

Amid his criticisms of Gonzaga, Stockton emphasized on the Gonzaga Nation podcast that he has no intentions of damaging Gonzaga’s reputation.

“I love the school, I always have,” he said. “It’s as much a part of me as my family is and so I don’t want to embarrass the school.”

Stockton, who grew up and still lives in Spokane, remains grateful for the opportunities he's had to work with the team during practices.

He has also kept his Spokane-based basketball facility, The Warehouse, open to current and former Gonzaga players. During the collegiate and NBA offseason, it's not uncommon to see players in The Warehouse for training sessions and pickup games. 

“I've always enjoyed to have talented guys that can pick up what you say, understand it and engage it right away,” he said. 

Coaching came naturally to Stockton, who also spent time working with his own children. Two of his kids, David and Laura Stockton, played at Gonzaga before beginning their professional careers. 

With the 2023-24 college basketball season set to begin next fall, it’s unclear whether Stockton will be in attendance at McCarthey Athletic Center, where his No. 12 jersey hangs in the rafters.