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Tag: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Pens Gun Control Article

    Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a regular columnist for Time, wrote a piece on gun control this week.

    “How many times do we need to say it? We have to change gun laws,” he begins. “Now.”

    Abdul-Jabbar goes on to criticize Republican presidential debates for “ignoring” he issue:

    During Tuesday night’s CNN debate among Democratic candidates for president, moderator Anderson Cooper said, “Let’s move on to some of the biggest issues right now in the headlines today. We’re going to start with guns.”

    This is a monumental difference from both Republican debates that substantially ignored the issue of gun control. The reason for this difference can be found in Anderson’s phrase, “in the headlines today,” because it’s only after brutal mass shootings that the otherwise smoldering issue is stoked to full flame. Having had three shootings at schools within a few days of each other, the headlines are ablaze with tragedies, and the public has again been forced to confront our mixed-message gun laws.

    He goes on to proclaim that he is “as much a part of the American gun culture as many other Americans.”

    The piece is nearly 2000 word and full of stats about deaths, spending, etc.

    In other recent articles, the six-time NBA champion has tackled Kim Davis, the “war on education,” racial identify theft, and Black Lives Matter.

  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Undergoes Quadruple Coronary Bypass Surgery, Will Make Full Recovery

    Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 68, underwent a successful quadruple coronary bypass surgery on Thursday. Doctors for the former NBA superstar say he is recovering nicely.

    Time magazine reports that Abdul-Jabbar entered Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in L.A. last week, suffering from cardiovascular disease.

    “At this time, Abdul-Jabbar would like to thank his surgical team and the medical staff at UCLA, his alma mater, for the excellent care he has received. He is looking forward to getting back to his normal activities soon,” a statement from the hospital reads.

    “He asks that you keep him in your thoughts and, most importantly, cherish and live each day to its fullest,” it continues.

    Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. He retired in 1989, after a 20-year career.

    An actor as well as a basketball player, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar appeared in the 1980 film Airplane! and TV shows including New Girl, Full House, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

    In 2009, Abdul-Jabbar announced he had chronic myeloid leukemia. In 2011 he said the cancer was “not life-threatening at this point in my life.”

    Hopefully Kareem Abdul-Jabbar continues on the road to a full recovery. Perhaps the seven-foot-two-inch tall star will soon shoot a few hoops as part of his physical therapy?

  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Sterling GF, Media ‘Caught’ Him

    Former Los Angeles Lakers star and former Clippers assistant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, wrote an op-ed column for Time.com about his take on the Donald Sterling scandal.

    Abdul-Jabbar said while Clippers owner Sterling – who was banned from the NBA for life – should have been held accountable years ago for his bigotry, blame for this latest incident should be shared with the media and his girlfriend, who he contends duped him into revealing his bigotry in an audio recording.

    “And now the poor guy’s girlfriend (undoubtedly ex-girlfriend now) is on tape cajoling him into revealing his racism,” said Abdul-Jabbar. “Man, what a winding road she led him down to get all of that out. She was like a sexy nanny playing “pin the fried chicken on the Sambo.” She blindfolded him and spun him around until he was just blathering all sorts of incoherent racist sound bites that had the news media peeing themselves with glee.

    “They caught big game on a slow news day, so they put his head on a pike, dubbed him Lord of the Flies, and danced around him whooping,” he said. “I don’t blame them. I’m doing some whooping right now.”

    Abdul-Jabber conveyed his relief that Sterling was finally called out, but says evidence of his racism goes way back and should have been exposed long ago.

    “He was discriminating against black and Hispanic families for years, preventing them from getting housing,” Abdul-Jabbar says. “It was public record. We did nothing. Suddenly he says he doesn’t want his girlfriend posing with Magic Johnson on Instagram and we bring out the torches and rope. Shouldn’t we have all called for his resignation back then?”

    After the news broke Monday about Sterling’s lifelong ban, Abdul-Jabar told reporters that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver handled the incident “the right way.”

    In his column, Abdul-Jabber says the Sterling scandal should be a point of inspiration to fight against racism in America.

    “Racists deserve to be paraded around the modern town square of the television screen so that the rest of us who believe in the American ideals of equality can be reminded that racism is still a disease that we haven’t yet licked,” he says. “What bothers me about this whole Donald Sterling affair isn’t just his racism. I’m bothered that everyone acts as if it’s a huge surprise.

    “Let’s use this tawdry incident to remind ourselves of the old saying: ‘Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.’ Instead of being content to punish Sterling and go back to sleep, we need to be inspired to vigilantly seek out, expose, and eliminate racism at its first signs,” he added.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Sterling Only Part of Problem

    In a recent Time Magazine “op-ed” piece, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar went ballistic on the Donald Sterling situation. A former coach for the L.A. Clippers, himself, Abdul-Jabbar is in a position to know of what he speaks.

    “Racists deserve to be paraded around the modern town square of the television screen so that the rest of us who believe in the American ideals of equality can be reminded that racism is still a disease that we haven’t yet licked.”

    But Abdul-Jabbar did not just excoriate Sterling himself. He took to task everyone who has been ignoring Sterling’s open racism for years.

    “He was discriminating against black and Hispanic families for years, preventing them from getting housing. It was public record. We did nothing. Suddenly he says he doesn’t want his girlfriend posing with Magic Johnson on Instagram and we bring out the torches and rope. Shouldn’t we have all called for his resignation back then?”

    Then Abdul-Jabbar touched on a topic that people have been whispering about in comment sections, but has never quite made the headlines:

    The smoking gun that finally led to Sterling’s lifetime ban from the NBA was something that never should have been made public. It was a private conversation between two people, with the expectation that it would remain private. It was not part of some back room deal under investigation. It was the very kind of material that the American public has been screaming from the rafters should not be made available to the likes of the NSA.

    But we got our hands on it through the media. And we’re lapping it up.

    Abdul-Jabbar asks, “Shouldn’t we be equally angered by the fact that his private, intimate conversation was taped and then leaked to the media?”

    “So, if we’re all going to be outraged, let’s be outraged that we weren’t more outraged when his racism was first evident. Let’s be outraged that private conversations between people in an intimate relationship are recorded and publicly played.”

    An interesting perspective from a man who could very well feel that the ends justify the means in cases like this. And while Abdul-Jabbar certainly has no love for the likes of Sterling, he lays it out clearly that there is so much of this that is disgusting.

    “I hope whoever made this illegal tape is sent to prison.”

    Strong words from the man who used to have to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes.

    Image via YouTube

  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wants to Own the Bucks

    The Milwaukee Bucks are 13-55, which makes them 37 games out of first place. The record is also good for worst in the NBA. The team is not constructed well and Larry Sanders, who was supposed to be a beacon of hope on the court, will miss the remainder of the season with injury.

    Rumors are spreading around the internet and beyond that owner Herb Kohl, who has toyed with the idea of selling the team for the past several years, is now seriously considering offers to hand off the troubled franchise to someone else. One of the most intriguing names out there is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It actually makes perfect sense. The Bucks drafted the NBA legend back in 1969, and the seven-foot center was the main contributor to the team’s only NBA Championship in 1971.

    However, it’s no slam dunk for Kareem, who will have to compete with other suitors. Yes, the Bucks are dreadful. Yes, they play in an antiquated arena. Nevertheless, the intrigue of owning an NBA franchise is a very appealing option to the select few who can afford it. The Bucks are considered the least valuable franchise in the league, Forbes estimates their value at $405 million.

    A source told The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on Tuesday. “There’s a lot of interest in the NBA and this is the only team on the market. There is a considerable amount of interest. It’s safe to say that anybody with the means and interest in the NBA has inquired. A lot of phone calls from around the country.”

    There have been no confirmed reports of who Kohl has spoken with and whether he would give up the whole team or sell off parts to minority owners. He has stood firm that the only way he would consider selling the team is if the buyer or buyers agree to keep the squad in Milwaukee.

    Kareem has put his name out there as an interested partner. “The team is probably going to change hands soon, I don’t know what’s going to happen specifically, but I’m keeping an eye on it. I might possibly try to be involved, it would be great to be able to help the franchise where, that I worked for, get back to the top. They deserve it, the Wisconsin sports fans are incredible, and they deserve a first-rate team.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Interested In Rejoining Bucks

    NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has made it known that he would be interested in rejoining the Milwaukee Bucks franchise if he was to get a call from them.

    ”If I get a call, I will definitely offer my services,” said Abdul-Jabbar. ”There’s nothing on the table right now. A couple of people have asked me and if I had the chance to be part of this franchise again, I would take it.”

    Adbul-Jabbar was the franchise’s career leading scorer with 14,211 points. He was the number one overall pick in the 1969 NBA draft, and was drafted to the Bucks’ team. During the 1974-1975 season, Adbul Jabbar requested a trade, seeking another contender. In 1975, he was traded to the Lakers.

    ”They appreciated that and they appreciated that I kept my mouth shut about it,” he said. ”I gave them the opportunity to approach other teams and they figured out the best deal they could make for themselves.”

    Former Sen. Herb Kohl announced the he would be seeking minority investors in the team, in December. Kohl has been the owner of the team since 1985. The team currently has the leagues worse record, and Kohl is trying to draw in a larger crowd.

    ”They have to get their business model right,” Abdul-Jabbar said, during an interview on Monday. ”I hope that the Bucks are able to sort it all out and get on a good footing. You can’t win it all unless you get the right players and you can’t get the right players unless you’re really in a good position as a business.”

    Adbul-Jabbar has also shown interest in possibly coaching in the NBA. He has worked as a special assistant with the Clippers and the Lakers.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Interested In Owning Milwaukee Bucks

    Former NBA star, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, has showed interest in owning the Milwaukee Bucks – one of the teams he played for in his basketball career.

    Abdul-Jabbar started playing for the Milwaukee Bucks in 1969 when he was chosen No. 1 in the draft. He continued to play for the team for six seasons, and holds the record for being the franchise’s biggest scorer with 14,211 points under his belt.

    The Hall of Famer was in town for the promotion of a tourism ad and he answered questions from the reporters just before the Milwaukee Bucks vs. the Utah Jazz game started at the Bradley Center.

    Rich Kirchen of the Milwaukee Business Journal interviewed Abdul-Jabbar and the basketball legend says that he would take the chance to be part of the Bucks if they need his services. However, there is no offer on the table as of now. Abdul-Jabbar has expressed his interest in getting back to the NBA as a coach. He has already worked as a special assistant for the Lakers and Clippers.

    In December, Milwaukee Bucks owner and former Senator Herb Kohl stated that he is seeking minor investors for the franchise in order to keep them in Wisconsin. The team has been in an all-time low with an 11-46 record. In addition to that, Forbes has recently reported that the Milwaukee Bucks was the least valuable franchise with an estimated value of $405 million.

    Bringing Abdul-Jabbar to the team may be one way to get the Bucks out of their slump, but there has yet to be a discussion between Abdul-Jabbar and Kohl.

    Despite of this, Abdul-Jabbar still sees the team as a viable market in the NBA. He says that the team has to have the right business model in order to be in a good position and attract the right players.

    Abdul-Jabbar Promotes Wisconsin Tourism

    Image via YouTube

  • Kareem Abdul Jabbar Talks Andrew Bynum, Questions His Commitment to Basketball

    Basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabber is not too pleased with Cleveland Cavaliers’ center Andrew Bynum.

    It’s no secret that former LA Lakers’ star Andrew Bynum was suspended indefinitely from the Cavs on Saturday, Dec. 28.

    However, the reason why he’s suspended is still up in the air, but there are rumors circulating around Bynum’s alleged behavior, which prompted the team’s judgement.

    Several media outlets, included BleacherReport, claim that Bynum is simply ‘tired’ of playing basketball.

    A number of NBA enthusiasts and sports analysts also took to Twitter to share the alleged reports of Bynum’s perspective.

    This particular claim is the crux of Abdul-Jabbar’s problem with Bynum. The 7’1 phenom is even questioning the 2-time NBA champion’s commitment to the game.

     

    Abdul-Jabbar took to Facebook on Sunday to state his disdain toward Bynum’s recent behavior, and his perspective toward basketball. The 6-time NBA MVP, who actually worked closely with Bynum during his 7-season tenure with the Lakers, even questioned his commitment to the duration of his basketball career.

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    “I believe Andrew has always had the potential to help a team when he puts his heart into it. He just doesn’t seem to be consistent with his commitment to the game. That can lead to alot of frustration for any team that has signed him,” said Abdul-Jabbar.

    “When I worked with Andrew I found him to be bright & hardworking but I think he got bored with the repetitive nature of working on basketball fundamentals day in and day out… but they are the keys to long term success,” he said.

    “In my opinion Andrew is the type of person who walks to the beat of “a different drummer”, he explained. “So we won’t know the facts until Andrew decides to tell us what actually is the issue and shares his thoughts. @KAJ33”

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    Although Bynum’s suspension was deftly lifted by the Cavs on Sunday, he’s not out of the woods just yet. He is still excused from all team activities while Cleveland Cavalier officials work to lock down a trade deal for the January 7 deadline. So, it looks as though Mike Brown was right when he said, “Not trying to be funny, but you know what indefinite means”.

    Image via Facebook | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (2) (3)

     

     

  • Cleveland Cavaliers Excuse Andrew Bynum

    Cleveland Cavaliers Excuse Andrew Bynum

    The Cleveland Cavaliers have indefinitely excused mystifying center Andrew Bynum for “conduct detrimental to the team,” after temporarily suspending him on Saturday. Bynum was subsequently banned from all team activities, which hints at an end to his two-year, $24.79 million contract he’d signed with on July 19. Cleveland will seek to trade the 7-foot center.

    Bynum got off to a rocky start with the Cavaliers, scoring only 3 points with 3 rebounds in 8 minutes during his October 30 debut. On November 30, Bynum logged his season highs with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks in a 97-93 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

    Bynum’s indefinite status isn’t too shocking, considering his lackluster, seemingly disinterested play – Bynum didn’t play at all during his stint last year in Philadelphia, and had spoken openly about retirement, due mainly to troublesome knee injuries.

    Bynum displaying a glimmer of reclaiming dominance as a center with the Cavs against the Bulls:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_r-8z-QQXg

    Bynum, of course, will still be paid by Cleveland, while not actually playing:

    The Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat are rumored to be interested in acquiring Bynum:

    NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has something to say about the Bynum situation, but one has to check his Facebook page, as 140 characters isn’t enough:

    Cleveland coach Mike Brown commented on Byrum’s status, “He’s on an indefinite suspension and I’m not trying to be funny, but you know what indefinite means – We’ve got 14 guys in that locker room who are very focused and determined and ready to take on any challenge that’s in front of them. They’re great guys, they’re focused guys and they know how to play the game the right way and that’s what I’m focused on, just helping those guys win.”

    The 26-year-old Byrum spent 7 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, after being selected 10th overall in the 2005 NBA draft. Though with the Cavs, he is averaging only 8.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in 24 games this season.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons.

  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a Children’s Author

    He has tackled the NBA, acted on both the big and small screen, been a basketball coach, became a best-selling author, served as a cultural ambassador for the United States, and battled cancer. Now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a children’s author.

    The leading scorer in NBA history has written the children’s book, Sasquatch in the Paint, the first book in a trilogy. Abdul-Jabbar says this book is about “life lessons.” He adds, “It’s kids growing up. It’s based on a lot of the experiences I had growing up, trying to make that transition from being a child to being an adult. Going through adolescence. The main character in the book, Theo, is in the eighth grade. He’s just had a growth spurt, he’s not very good at playing basketball, but because he’s tall, everybody expects him to be a dominant player.”

    The book doesn’t just deal with growth spurts and growing up. Abdul-Jabbar says the book also teaches kids that it’s cool to be smart. “Theo, the main character, is on the academic team. He’s smart. Books just don’t sit in the corner in his room. That was one message I want to get across. Being smart is cool,” said Abdul-Jabbar. He wants kids, especially minority kids, to know that they can be successful in other things other than athletics, music, or acting.

    Abdul-Jabbar has been on a book tour since the release of Sasquatch in the Paint. Part of his tour has been visiting military families. His first stop was Fort Bragg, a place close to his heart. From 1941 – 1943 his father, Ferdinand Alcindor, Sr., was assigned to the 16th Field Artillery Battalion at Fort Bragg. On Thursday, Abdul-Jabbar spoke with students, parents, and teachers on behalf of Reading Is Fundamental, the nonprofit children’s literacy organization, at the Army post.

    One celebrity fan who recommends Abdul-Jabbar’s book is Billy Crystal.

    Below you can watch a video of Abdul-Jabbar discussing Sasquatch in the Paint.

    This isn’t Abdul-Jabbar’s first foray into children’s literature. He previously wrote What Color Is My World?, a book about black inventors that read more like a history book. What Color Is My World? received an N.A.A.C.P. Image Award.

    [Image via Abdul-Jabbar’s official Twitter.]