Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is “thrilled” that LeBron James broke his all-time NBA record on Tuesday night and blames himself for the pair not having a relationship, the Hall of Famer wrote in his newsletter on Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Abdul-Jabbar wrote that it was “like I had won a billion dollars in the lottery and 39 years later someone had won two billion dollars”. He added that “(Lebron’s) victory does not affect my victory in any way.”
- The 75-year-old also confirmed James’ comment from before the season that they didn’t have a relationship, and said he blamed himself for that “not for everything I’ve done, but maybe for not trying harder to reach out to him.”
- Abdul-Jabbar also said his former teammate Magic Johnson was “very wrong” when he speculated on a podcast that James breaking the record would be “a tough pill for Abdul-Jabbar to swallow”.
What else did Abdul-Jabbar say about the record
“Every time a sports record is broken – including mine – it’s a moment of celebration,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote. “It means someone has pushed the limits of what we thought was possible to a whole new level. And when one person climbs higher than the last person, we all feel capable of being more.
He added that it’s part of the “magic of sport” to share someone’s success.
“That’s what sends the kids to the playgrounds to duplicate a LeBron layup or a Steph Curry 3-pointer. Or Mia Hamm inspiring a whole generation of girls to step out of the stands and into the field. Millions of kids across the country are pushing themselves to greatness because they’ve seen an athlete do something spectacular and they want to do it too. Or at least try. This same kind of drive is behind many of humanity’s greatest achievements.
Abdul-Jabbar said the “main reason” he doesn’t care about the record being broken is that he “is no longer focused” on his “basketball legacy” as much as his “social legacy”.
“I’m not trying to build a billion dollar empire, I write articles to defend democracy and defend the interests of the marginalized,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote. “I am also deeply involved with my charity, the Skyhook Foundation, which provides underprivileged children with a week-long STEM education in the Angeles National Forest. That and my family are all I have energy for. (Did I mention, I’m 75!)”
Abdul-Jabbar extends the story with LeBron
“I think the main reason I never formed a bond with LeBron (again, entirely my fault) is simply our age difference. I set my scoring record in 1984 — the year LeBron was born,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote. “When he started to make a name for himself, I was already quite removed from the world of the NBA. With the exception of some gala events, I was just like any other fan, watching games on my TV in my sweatpants while munching on too many unhealthy snacks.
“This disconnect is on me. I knew the pressures he was under and maybe I could have helped ease them a bit. But I saw LeBron had a friend and mentor in Kobe Bryant and I was just an empty jersey in the rafters. I couldn’t imagine why he would want to hang out with someone twice his age. How many do? »
Abdul-Jabbar also acknowledged that he “took a few minor jabs” at James over vaccination protocols, “which in (Abdul-Jabbar’s) mind was the kind of nudge a teammate made with another”. He wrote that he thought James was “too accomplished, mature and shrewd to resent something so petty”.
“The bottom line about LeBron and me: LeBron is making me love the game again,” Abdul-Jabbar added. “And it makes me proud to be part of an ever-growing group of athletes who actively care about their community.”
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar criticizes LeBron James
What he said about magic
Johnson was asked about the prospect of James breaking the record, and Abdul-Jabbar’s feelings about it, on a podcast in October last year.
“The fact that he’s a guy who also plays for the Lakers…I think that’s going to be a tough pill to swallow…I think he thought he was going to have (the record) forever,” Johnson said.
Abdul-Jabbar said he understood why longtime friend Johnson would think he might be upset about his record slump – and that he might have felt different closer to his playing career. But Abdul-Jabbar said he is now focusing on other things.
“I don’t blame him for thinking I might be bothered because he knows how competitive I was,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote. “And, if someone had broken my record in the ten years after I set it, they’d probably be right. I might have hobbled out of retirement just to add a few more points to my record.
“I retired from the NBA 34 years ago. For the past 20 years, I have taken care of social activism, my writing career and my family, especially my three granddaughters. If I had the choice of keeping my goalscoring record intact for another hundred years or spending an afternoon with my grandkids, I’d be down in seconds stacking Legos and eating Encrustables.
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(Photo: Gary A. Vasquez/USA Today)
