Two of Inside The NBA's finest will be part of a program to spread awareness about COVID-19 vaccination.

Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley are joining the Obamas, Dr. Anthony Fauci and a star-studded cast of celebrities in an NBC special meant to “inform and encourage those who have vaccination concerns,” per CNN's Kevin Liptak.

The special will air Sunday evening.

The former NBA star, Barkley, in particular has been adamant about vaccination. He got in some hot water for comments made in January suggesting athletes should be allowed to skip the line:

“We need 300 million shots,” Barkley said, via Jimmy Traina of Sports Illustrated. “Give a thousand to some NBA players, NFL players, hockey players. Listen, as much taxes as these players pay, let me repeat that, as much as these players pay they deserve some preferential treatment.”

Now, that wasn't the right angle for the “Inside the NBA” host to take but Barkley isn't one to ever mince his words as we've long seen. But he has not shown any reservations when it comes to vaccination. The same cannot be said for any number of Americans.

An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist College poll found last month 30 percent of Americans and 41 percent of Republicans said they would not get the vaccine even when available to them. Nearly 25 percent of Black respondents said they would not get the vaccine, as compared to 28 percent of white people and 37 percent of Latinos.

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Reports Tuesday morning did not do much to ease skeptics' fears after the CDC recommended the U.S. pause distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. However, Fauci said those who have gotten a J & J shot should not be anxious, though they should pay attention to symptoms.

Barkley and O'Neal will join Fauci and others as part of Sunday night's special.