Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is “thrilled” that LeBron James broke his all-time NBA scoring record Tuesday night and blames himself for the pair not having a relationship, the Hall of Famer wrote in his newsletter Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Abdul-Jabbar wrote that it feels “as if I won a billion dollars in a lottery and 39 years later someone won two billion dollars.” He added that “(Lebron’s) winning in no way affects my winning.”
- The 75-year-old also confirmed James’ comment from before the season that they do not have a relationship, and said he blames himself for it “not for anything I did, but perhaps for not making more of an effort 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 hard pill to swallow” for Abdul-Jabbar.
What else Abdul-Jabbar said about the record
“Whenever a sports record is broken — including mine — it’s a time for celebration,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote. “It means someone has pushed the boundaries of what we thought was possible to a whole new level. And when one person climbs higher than the last person, we all feel like we are capable of being more.”
He added that it’s part of the “magic of sports” to share in one person’s achievement.
“It is what sends children onto playgrounds to duplicate a LeBron layup or a Steph Curry 3-pointer. Or Mia Hamm inspiring a whole generation of girls to come off the bleachers and onto the field. Millions of children across the country pushing themselves toward excellence because they saw an athlete do something spectacular and they want to do it too. Or at least try. That same kind of drive is behind many of humankind’s greatest achievements.”
Abdul-Jabbar said the “main reason” he doesn’t care about the record being broken is that he’s “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 in defense of democracy and advocating on behalf of the marginalized,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote. “I also am deeply involved in my charity, the Skyhook Foundation, which treats disadvantaged kids to week-long STEM education in the Angeles National Forest. That and my family are all I have the energy for. (Did I mention, I’m 75!)”
Abdul-Jabbar expands on history with LeBron
“I think the main reason that I never formed a bond with LeBron (again, entirely my fault) is simply our age difference. I established 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 pretty much removed from the NBA world. Except for certain gala events, I was just like any other fan, watching games on my TV in my sweatpants while munching on too many unhealthy snacks.
“That disconnect is on me. I knew the pressures he was under and maybe I could have helped ease them a bit. But I saw that LeBron had a friend and mentor in Kobe Bryant and I was just an empty jersey in the rafters. I could n’t imagine why he’d want to hang with someone twice his age than him. How many do?”
Abdul-Jabbar also acknowledged that he has “taken a couple minor jabs” at James over vaccine protocols, “which in (Abdul-Jabbar’s) mind was the kind of nudging one teammate does with another.” He wrote that he thinks James is “too accomplished, mature and savvy to hold a grudge over something so petty.”
“Bottom line about LeBron and me: LeBron makes me love the game again,” Abdul-Jabbar added. “And he makes me proud to be part of an ever-widening group of athletes who actively care about their community.”
GO DEEPER
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 of last year.
“The fact that it’s a dude that’s playing for the Lakers, too … I think it’ll be a hard pill to swallow … I think he thought he was going to have (the record) forever,” Johnson said.
Abdul-Jabbar said that he understands why Johnson, his longtime friend, would think he might be upset about his record falling — and that he might have felt different closer to his playing career. But Abdul-Jabbar said that he’s now focused on other things.
“I don’t blame him for thinking that I might be bothered because he knows how competitive I used to be,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote. “And, if someone had broken my record within ten years of me setting it, he would probably be right. I might have hobbled out of retirement just to add a few more points on my record.”
“I retired from the NBA 34 years ago. For the past 20 years, I’ve occupied myself with social activism, my writing career, and my family — especially my three grandchildren. If I had a choice of having my scoring record remain intact for another hundred years or spend one afternoon with my grandchildren, I’d be on the floor in seconds stacking Legos and eating Uncrustables.”
Required reading
(Photo: Gary A. Vasquez / USA Today)
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