76ers guard Matisse Thybulle ‘ineligible to play’ against Raptors in Canada

Matisse Thybulle is “ineligible to play” against the Toronto Raptors this week.

The Philadelphia 76ers guard was listed as “ineligible” on the team’s injury report ahead of their game against the Raptors in Canada on Thursday.

Though that reasoning isn’t explicitly clear, it’s likely COVID-19 related.

In order to enter Canada, all travelers must be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus — including athletes. Though Thybulle played at the Scotiabank Arena in December, Canada’s new entry rules were not implemented at that time.

Thybulle hasn’t commented on his vaccination status publicly. He has entered the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols twice this season, both in November and January.

The 76ers were one of two teams in the Eastern Conference that declined to answer when asked directly by ESPN if they were fully vaccinated last month. Though they certainly aren't required to answer, that question is an easy one to respond to if they are fully vaccinated.

The Celtics were the other team that declined to respond.

Thybulle’s absence could cause issues for the 76ers after Thursday, too. The 76ers are currently in fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, three games ahead of the Raptors in fifth. If the season ended today, the two teams would square off in the first round.

That means that, if Thybulle is in fact not fully vaccinated, he would be ineligible to play in at least part of that series.

Thybulle has averaged a career-high 5.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per game this season while shooting nearly 50% from the field. The 25-year-old is in the third year of his initial four-year deal with the team.

Because he is ineligible, Thybulle will lose out on about $31,000 in game pay, per ESPN's Bobby Marks.