Exclusive: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar elaborates on comments about LeBron James

Lakers Corridor of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Sunday helped unveil a trophy bearing his title and likeness — within the type of his arms on a basketball — for the NBA’s Social Justice Champion Award.

In an almost 10-minute interview with reporters that adopted, Abdul-Jabbar was requested instantly about his previous criticisms of LeBron James. Along with crediting James for his work, Abdul-Jabbar referred to as a few of James’ actions “embarrassing” and “beneath him.”

Late Sunday afternoon in an e-mail to The Occasions, Abdul-Jabbar elaborated on his emotions about James and his admiration for his work as an activist:

Over time, I’ve been requested to touch upon and write about LeBron James. A pair years in the past, I wrote an article for Sports activities Illustrated about LeBron as a Sportsperson of the Yr wherein I stated: “[T]his technology couldn’t do any higher within the hero division than LeBron James. A part of being a hero is to have each the modesty to really feel unworthy of such a heavy phrase and the power to just accept the duty that comes with others trying to you to be that hero. What’s a hero however somebody who stands up for many who can’t? Who embodies our cherished beliefs of sportsmanship: truthful play, laborious work and compassion? That just about describes the LeBron James I’ve watched and are available to know since he was the No. 1 choose within the 2003 NBA draft and was named Rookie of the Yr.” Within the two years since wrote that, my respect and admiration has solely grown for LeBron as I watched him champion worthwhile causes whereas sustaining his standing as an elite athlete. As he closes is on my all-time scoring document, I’ve been a cheerleader urging him on, joyful to go the mantle to somebody so worthy as an athlete and an individual.

LeBron continues to be the daunting hero I described two years in the past. He’s nonetheless a significant pressure in bettering lives within the Black Neighborhood. He’s nonetheless one of many biggest basketball gamers in historical past. He’s nonetheless a person who has earned the overwhelming admiration of hundreds of thousands. And every single day he goes out and proves why he deserves that admiration.

Every now and then I’ve chided LeBron once I thought he was dropping the ball when it got here to supporting the neighborhood. However I did so within the spirit of a loving older brother providing steering, whether or not needed or not. So, once I stated that he has performed some issues he must be embarrassed about, that wasn’t a slam or a barb or perhaps a finger wag, it was me recapping a few of what I’d stated previously. The Sports activities Illustrated article was an homage to LeBron for profitable the Muhammad Ali Legacy Award for his position in social activism. So, once I suppose he could also be veering from the trail that made him win that award, MI point out it. I’m a journalist. That’s what I do. However I imagine LeBron is robust sufficient and gracious sufficient to know that I’ve solely love for him in my coronary heart.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar