Adam Silver said Tuesday the league has discussed having players receive COVID-19 vaccines to educate and influence the public regarding their safety and effectiveness.

"There have been discussions. It's something we're particularly focused on," Silver said at a virtual conference hosted by Sportico.

"In the African American community, there's been enormously disparate impact from COVID ... but now, somewhat perversely, there's been enormous resistance [to vaccinations] in the African American community for understandable historical reasons. ... If that resistance continues, it would be very much a double whammy to the Black community, because the only way out of this pandemic is to get vaccinated."

Dr. Anthony Fauci has said that leaders with large platforms such as ministers, entertainers and athletes can set an example by getting the vaccine.

"Several public health officials -- and this is operating state by state right now -- have suggested there would be a real public health benefit to getting some very high-profile African Americans vaccinated to demonstrate to the larger community that it is safe and effective," Silver said.

Last week Kareem Abdul-Jabbar received his first dose of the vaccine and is now spreading support for it.