Kareem Abdul Jabbar on Lamar Odom situation with Dallas

[Legends66NBA7]

https://www.facebook.com/kaj


"I'm having a hard time trying to figure out why Lamar Odom would quit the Dallas Mavericks. Throughout his career, Lamar has been appreciated for his versatile array of gifts that are so much fun to watch on the court. Lamar had the talent to play any of four of the five positions that are a part of the structure of the modern game of basketball. When he was hot, Lamar was a factor at both ends of the court. A player who did not surprise people when he registered triple double stats scoring, rebounding and assists in a game.

Last season, he was voted the 6th man award winner by the NBA. This award is given to the best substitute player in the league. Most people thought it was a testament to Lamar's mature consistency as he came off of the Laker bench. It will be a pity if it is his swan song on his way out of the game. Dallas paid handsomely to get Lamar on their roster by giving up a 2012 1st round draft pick and an $8.9 million trade exception for the former Laker forward.

It seems that the Lakers will get to laugh last in this instance. Lamar's performance for his new team this year has been dismal. The Mavericks considered sending him to the D [Minor] League at one point this year. They probably hoped it would shake him up and motivate him to return to the form he once possessed. However this season saw him register career lows in just about every statistical category and he was often the focus of loud boos from the Dallas fans. During the off season, one of his cousins was shot and killed which put Lamar in a bad state of mind. Soon thereafter he was riding in an SUV that struck and killed a pedestrian. Fortunately, Lamar wasn't driving. Finally Lamar's father was reported to be dealing with a serious medical emergency that required Lamar's immediate and full attention. It seems that all of this turmoil has been more than Lamar can bear and he has decided to step out of the picture.

I got to know Lamar when I was coaching with both the Clippers and Lakers. He always struck me as an asset to the team on the court and in the locker room. He had a great sense of humor and felt that his teammates were his family. He was able to endure the ribbing he would get from his teammates for his role on the Kardashian's reality show with wit and grace, But I think we are all susceptible to being pulled down by the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune." I, for one, wish to see Lamar's troubles come to an end and the warm, generous and humorous person he is re-emerge. Good luck, Lamar."- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

[dunksby]

GOAT has spoken :bowdown:

[SFMF]

woah, this tall dude can write :bowdown:

[DKLaker]

LMFAO at Kareem trying to act like a caring human being:facepalm
He must want that statue at Staples Center really, really bad.
Anyone who has been around the guy knows he's the biggest A-Hole in NBA history. He's the anti-Magic Johnson. Only Laker I would ever speak badly of.....for very good reason.

[Legends66NBA7]

LMFAO at Kareem trying to act like a caring human being:facepalm
He must want that statue at Staples Center really, really bad.
Anyone who has been around the guy knows he's the biggest A-Hole in NBA history. He's the anti-Magic Johnson. Only Laker I would ever speak badly of.....for very good reason.

It seems like he and Odom do have a good relation with each other.

I'm assuming they've talked to each other about this situation, already. As for the Magic situation, yeah, I don't think they've talked to each other for years or something, right ?

[bdreason]

Lamar gets paid millions of dollars to perform what I suspect is most people on this forums dream job. Everyone deals with tragedy, but we all still have responsibilities. The teacher making 30k a year, who loses her father, doesn't quit her job because she feels bad about it.

[dunksby]

LMFAO at Kareem trying to act like a caring human being:facepalm
He must want that statue at Staples Center really, really bad.
Anyone who has been around the guy knows he's the biggest A-Hole in NBA history. He's the anti-Magic Johnson. Only Laker I would ever speak badly of.....for very good reason.
But you are a Lakers fan!

[Legends66NBA7]

Lamar gets paid millions of dollars to perform what I suspect is most people on this forums dream job. Everyone deals with tragedy, but we all still have responsibilities. The teacher making 30k a year, who loses her father, doesn't quit her job because she feels bad about it.

Well said.

I can't really speak that much about Odom, but he's definitely wearing his emotions on his sleeve too much.

He has to (somehow) pull it together for the sake of his career.

[hawkfan]

HAMLET: To be, or not to be--that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them. To die, to sleep--
No more--and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to. 'Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep--
To sleep--perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely
The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of th' unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprise of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry
And lose the name of action. -- Soft you now,
The fair Ophelia! -- Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remembered.

[All Net]

LMFAO at Kareem trying to act like a caring human being:facepalm
He must want that statue at Staples Center really, really bad.
Anyone who has been around the guy knows he's the biggest A-Hole in NBA history. He's the anti-Magic Johnson. Only Laker I would ever speak badly of.....for very good reason.

Why have you met Kareem?

[824]

Lamar gets paid millions of dollars to perform what I suspect is most people on this forums dream job. Everyone deals with tragedy, but we all still have responsibilities. The teacher making 30k a year, who loses her father, doesn't quit her job because she feels bad about it.

Everyone is human buddy, not everyone has the distorted view of money you seem to have, especially people who have had lots of it for a while, they understand that it's meaningless. I don't know how in the **** you loons equate being grateful for having a job that he worked his ass off to be able to do, that people willingly pay to see for THEIR entertainment not his, advertising revenue from companies PROFITING from said campaigns, etc. with having a rough time with some tough times. GROW UP.

[Da_Realist]

I wish some of the older guys would speak on why Kareem was so disliked during his playing days. He always seemed like an introvert, but an intelligent introvert. A thinking man that understood far, far more about the world than just basketball. What am I missing? Is it because he didn't go around high-fiving guys and pandering to the media?

He just didn't seem like a bad guy to me.

[CavaliersFTW]

LMFAO at Kareem trying to act like a caring human being:facepalm
He must want that statue at Staples Center really, really bad.
Anyone who has been around the guy knows he's the biggest A-Hole in NBA history. He's the anti-Magic Johnson. Only Laker I would ever speak badly of.....for very good reason.
Dude... Kareem is a good, but misunderstood person he's not what I would call an asshole and I know what kind of things he's said throughout his career and retirement, he gets caught up in his opinions sometimes but as do a lot of smart people - as far as I know he's always eventually made amends with who he was hatin on in the past and in a very good way, often going out of his way to finally say good things about them because the same people he appeared to hate were often people he envied.

[Kobe 4 The Win]

I wish some of the older guys would speak on why Kareem was so disliked during his playing days. He always seemed like an introvert, but an intelligent introvert. A thinking man that understood far, far more about the world than just basketball. What am I missing? Is it because he didn't go around high-fiving guys and pandering to the media?

He just didn't seem like a bad guy to me.


lol, I'm an older guy.

Kareem was to himself. He wasn't comfortable with the media or fans to a certain extent. I don't think he was trying to be a jerk. He got a lot of criticism from freinds and foes alike. His house burned down and he lost everything in, I think 1983. He could of been a little bitter about a few things.

He paid a price for that and I'm glad to see that he is opening up more now and letting people get to know him. He is a very intelligent, talented individual and I don't think he's a bad guy. In my opinion his statue is long overdue.

[B]

lol, I'm an older guy.

Kareem was to himself. He wasn't comfortable with the media or fans to a certain extent. I don't think he was trying to be a jerk. He got a lot of criticism from freinds and foes alike. His house burned down and he lost everything in, I think 1983. He could of been a little bitter about a few things.

He paid a price for that and I'm glad to see that he is opening up more now and letting people get to know him. He is a very intelligent, talented individual and I don't think he's a bad guy. In my opinion his statue is long overdue.Well said.

[Punpun]

I wish some of the older guys would speak on why Kareem was so disliked during his playing days. .

You want the truth ? He changed his name and became a muslim. BOOM! instant backlash.

It's in Simmons book.

[NewYorkNoPicks]

LMFAO at Kareem trying to act like a caring human being:facepalm
He must want that statue at Staples Center really, really bad.
Anyone who has been around the guy knows he's the biggest A-Hole in NBA history. He's the anti-Magic Johnson. Only Laker I would ever speak badly of.....for very good reason.

Hes just a shy and introverted guy, hes uncomfortable around a lot of people. Theres nothing wrong with that

[Da_Realist]

lol, I'm an older guy.

Kareem was to himself. He wasn't comfortable with the media or fans to a certain extent. I don't think he was trying to be a jerk. He got a lot of criticism from freinds and foes alike. His house burned down and he lost everything in, I think 1983. He could of been a little bitter about a few things.

He paid a price for that and I'm glad to see that he is opening up more now and letting people get to know him. He is a very intelligent, talented individual and I don't think he's a bad guy. In my opinion his statue is long overdue.

It's odd that a guy that was that good didn't get more leeway. We all know MJ isn't the best person in the world, but his talent was so immense we sort of look the other way. A lot of guys get a little more leeway due to their talent/popularity, but somehow KAJ didn't. Even Karl Malone isn't as dismissed for being an a**hole like KAJ...and I would think he'd deserve it ten times more. I would think it's a 70's thing, but everyone hated Rick Barry back then.

What is the difference between KAJ's personality and Bird's? They were both introverts that didn't feel that comfortable with the media.

[Da_Realist]

You want the truth ? He changed his name and became a muslim. BOOM! instant backlash.

It's in Simmons book.

But...Muhammad Ali

[zizozain]

Straight No Chaser: Kareem Abdul Jabbar - Never White America's Good Negro

By Desi Cortez
Nov 23, 2011

[B]DENVER, CO[/B[I]].---

[get these NETS]

cool article/excerpt

think there is a general tendency for fans to listen and repeat what reporters write


so 17 year old kid will say that "KAJ" is a jerk...because a reporter said it

Barry Bonds is a jerk...because a reporter said it

ray lewis murdered somebody because a reporter said it


even going back further ted williams was a jerk...because a reporter wrote it

[Scoooter]

That article is riddled with spelling errors, poor grammar, and malapropisms. Where did you get it?

[Legends66NBA7]

That article is riddled with spelling errors, poor grammar, and malapropisms. Where did you get it?

It's on Kareem's facebook page, which he typed out.

[zizozain]

But...Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali was the most hated man ..
people were scared he would be murdered .. he was banned for three and a half years IN HIS PRIME before he became an American hero

[Da KO King]

Lamar gets paid millions of dollars to perform what I suspect is most people on this forums dream job. Everyone deals with tragedy, but we all still have responsibilities. The teacher making 30k a year, who loses her father, doesn't quit her job because she feels bad about it.
Does the teacher in your example have to grieve while bouncing from city to city ever three days? Do students and parents boo her in the middle of her reviewing her lesson plan?

[dunksby]

cool article/excerpt

think there is a general tendency for fans to listen and repeat what reporters write


so 17 year old kid will say that "KAJ" is a jerk...because a reporter said it

Barry Bonds is a jerk...because a reporter said it

ray lewis murdered somebody because a reporter said it


even going back further ted williams was a jerk...because a reporter wrote it
It would not bug me if KAJ was just another talented athlete who got lucky that people love watching a sport and willing to pay for it. What bugs me is that despite being an influential person who did not back down under pressure and stood up for what he believed, some random kid still has the nerve to call him out and label him as the biggest asshole in the NBA history.

[dunksby]

Does the teacher in your example have to grieve while bouncing from city to city ever three days? Do students and parents boo her in the middle of her reviewing her lesson plan?
Dunno about you but we abused our school teachers so much sometimes I feel bad remembering that shit.

[Rhyen]

It's on Kareem's facebook page, which he typed out.

I think homie's talkin about article on page 2... Sigh kiddies

[Legends66NBA7]

I think homie's talkin about article on page 2... Sigh kiddies

Oh, my bad.

Well the name's there anyways.

[SwayDizzle]

Everyone is human buddy, not everyone has the distorted view of money you seem to have, especially people who have had lots of it for a while, they understand that it's meaningless. I don't know how in the **** you loons equate being grateful for having a job that he worked his ass off to be able to do, that people willingly pay to see for THEIR entertainment not his, advertising revenue from companies PROFITING from said campaigns, etc. with having a rough time with some tough times. GROW UP.
Well said mate, maybe one day these fools will grow up, maybe not...

[Mr. Jabbar]

:pimp:

[Fiasco]

If Lamar truly felt this way, the right thing to do would have been to agree on a lowered buyout release (with the Lakers) and take his year off.

[Punpun]

He's really not. He just doesn't like the media and attention. Magic is the opposite.

Wat ? Magic is a good guy too.

[dunksby]

Wat ? Magic is a good guy too.
He meant the media stuff not that he is a douche.

[Collie]

KAJ was often criticized because he was too distant and his game wasn't exactly dynamic. He was also accused of not trying his hardest and being lazy on defense.

Basically your average superstar criticisms.

[Kobe 4 The Win]

The Muslim/black-power thing worked against him early on but I don't think that was what really killed Kareem's image. He just wasn't interested in being liked. Kareem had a short way of answering questions. He would often ignore people or just stare back at them which made them feel stupid. He was intimidating to a lot of people because of this. Kareem was weary of people he didn't know and didn't trust them which is understandable when you consider what was going on in society during the 60s.

Times have changed and he is trying to open up more and I'm really happy to see that. He's such a legendary player and a rare, interesting person. I wish people would forgive the past and cut him some slack. Just because you are famous doesn't mean that your personality is cut out for that kind of attention and scrutiny. If I were famous I'm sure I'd be considered a huge a**hole. There aren't a lot of Magic Johnson's out there.

[The Iron Fist]

I wish some of the older guys would speak on why Kareem was so disliked during his playing days. He always seemed like an introvert, but an intelligent introvert. A thinking man that understood far, far more about the world than just basketball. What am I missing? Is it because he didn't go around high-fiving guys and pandering to the media?

He just didn't seem like a bad guy to me.
All they'll say is that he was just so much better than everyone else.

[Kobe 4 The Win]

All they'll say is that he was just so much better than everyone else.

NBA all-time leading scorer, I'm just saying. What current guy is better than him, Dwight?

[The Iron Fist]

NBA all-time leading scorer, I'm just saying. What current guy is better than him, Dwight?
Kareem is my all time favorite athlete, I see him as the GOAT, just saying.

[Kobe 4 The Win]

KAJ = GOAT, just saying.

[bmulls]

Everyone is human buddy, not everyone has the distorted view of money you seem to have, especially people who have had lots of it for a while, they understand that it's meaningless. I don't know how in the **** you loons equate being grateful for having a job that he worked his ass off to be able to do, that people willingly pay to see for THEIR entertainment not his, advertising revenue from companies PROFITING from said campaigns, etc. with having a rough time with some tough times. GROW UP.

:facepalm

Shit happens buddy. Part of being a grown man is dealing with shitty situations and continuing to put one foot in front of the other.

I don't even know where you're trying to go with this entertainment and advertising revenue bullshit. I could work my ass off to become a rocket scientist, that doesn't give me the right to fck off after I've got the job.

You sign a contract, you do the job. Period.

[DKLaker]

Why have you met Kareem?

Unfortunately over 100 times.......I try to avoid the A-Hole.

[bmulls]

I posted this story once before in a thread about KAJ, but it is relevant to this.

When my dad was a teenager he worked as a bell boy at a hotel in Milwaukee. He carried KAJ's bags to his room one day and when he was finished he asked for an autograph. Not only did KAJ not give the autograph, he gave no tip, and then he laughed and slammed the door in my dad's face. Asshole.

[DKLaker]

He's really not. He just doesn't like the media and attention. Magic is the opposite.

Obviously you never met him, when I bring up his name to anyone who has met him there is never 1 decent thing anyone has to say about him......it's extremely well known. Ex players really hate the guy. When Magic said KAJ didn't even speak to him at all their first 5 years together I was actually shocked.......then again I shouldn't have been. Who the hell doesn't love Magic, he's one of the greatest people ever......seriously.
I first met Kareem in the early 70's, last saw him 4 years ago I think. Always a classless rude self absorbed A-Hole.

[Legends66NBA7]

I posted this story once before in a thread about KAJ, but it is relevant to this.

When my dad was a teenager he worked as a bell boy at a hotel in Milwaukee. He carried KAJ's bags to his room one day and when he was finished he asked for an autograph. Not only did KAJ not give the autograph, he gave no tip, and then he laughed and slammed the door in my dad's face. Asshole.

Damn, really ?

Which year in the 70's was that ? I think he was a young, arrogant guy, I'm sure he's different now... though, reading DKLaker meeting with him, that doesn't seem to be the case.

[Kobe 4 The Win]

Obviously you never met him, when I bring up his name to anyone who has met him there is never 1 decent thing anyone has to say about him......it's extremely well known. Ex players really hate the guy. When Magic said KAJ didn't even speak to him at all their first 5 years together I was actually shocked.......then again I shouldn't have been. Who the hell doesn't love Magic, he's one of the greatest people ever......seriously.
I first met Kareem in the early 70's, last saw him 4 years ago I think. Always a classless rude self absorbed A-Hole.

Maybe he just hates you and seeing your face puts him in a bad mood. You ever think about that? lol

[DKLaker]

cool article/excerpt

think there is a general tendency for fans to listen and repeat what reporters write


so 17 year old kid will say that "KAJ" is a jerk...because a reporter said it

Barry Bonds is a jerk...because a reporter said it

ray lewis murdered somebody because a reporter said it


even going back further ted williams was a jerk...because a reporter wrote it

Sure, some people do that and it really irritates me, but it also irritates me just as much that some people defend A-holes they never met.

I've been around KAJ far too much, every time he has been abusive toward everyone, I have even seen him curse out 6 year old kids who were being nice and polite to him......see this way too many times.

I was around Barry Bonds many times for quite a few years, Barry is definitely NOT an A-hole....not in the least. He's not gracious or outgoing, he's quiet at to himself but a good guy.

I never met Ray Lewis so I have no opinion other than as a fan, so I really like how he plays, his attitude and spirit.

I met Ted Williams 3 times very briefly and he was just a regular guy.

Closest to KAJ I ever met was a guy you guys never heard of named Jerry Grote....he played baseball for the Mets and Dodgers, but KAJ had him beat by a long way.

Kobe, despite all the B.S people say is a very good guy, nice and funny.

I never met Lebron but the people I know who did say he's a prick......but nothing on KAJ level.

[Kobe 4 The Win]

I'm not here to defend Kareem. He's a grown man and he would not want or need me to do that

I would contend that there is a difference between having met someone and knowing them. Just because you've met the guy, does that mean you are correct when you brand him an a**hole? I've met Mike Tyson so can I now officially declare what kind of a guy he is? The nicest of celebrities probably have been rude to someone over the years. People aren't perfect.

Maybe he is the biggest a**hole ever. I like athletes based on their play not on their personalities. I was never a fan that needed athletes to be model citizens and a perfect example for all of humanity. Sportswriters on the other hand seem to require this. Look how they turned on Tiger Woods. To me, sportswriters are the biggest a**holes in the world. They can make or break the reputation of an athlete and they do so with extreme prejudice.

[dunksby]

Sure, some people do that and it really irritates me, but it also irritates me just as much that some people defend A-holes they never met.

I've been around KAJ far too much, every time he has been abusive toward everyone, I have even seen him curse out 6 year old kids who were being nice and polite to him......see this way too many times.

I was around Barry Bonds many times for quite a few years, Barry is definitely NOT an A-hole....not in the least. He's not gracious or outgoing, he's quiet at to himself but a good guy.

I never met Ray Lewis so I have no opinion other than as a fan, so I really like how he plays, his attitude and spirit.

I met Ted Williams 3 times very briefly and he was just a regular guy.

Closest to KAJ I ever met was a guy you guys never heard of named Jerry Grote....he played baseball for the Mets and Dodgers, but KAJ had him beat by a long way.

Kobe, despite all the B.S people say is a very good guy, nice and funny.

I never met Lebron but the people I know who did say he's a prick......but nothing on KAJ level.
I once saw KAJ taking a 4 year old girl's frozen yoghurt and stick it in her left eye.

http://www.mytinyphone.com/uploads/users/sofina_123/546193.jpg

[zizozain]

I posted this story once before in a thread about KAJ, but it is relevant to this.

When my dad was a teenager he worked as a bell boy at a hotel in Milwaukee. He carried KAJ's bags to his room one day and when he was finished he asked for an autograph. Not only did KAJ not give the autograph, he gave no tip, and then he laughed and slammed the door in my dad's face. Asshole.

on November 22 and 23rd, 1967?

maybe it was the same day when he was almost killed by a racist cop shooting at a black cat in Harlem. He was shooting on the street

[strike]

I posted this story once before in a thread about KAJ, but it is relevant to this.

When my dad was a teenager he worked as a bell boy at a hotel in Milwaukee. He carried KAJ's bags to his room one day and when he was finished he asked for an autograph. Not only did KAJ not give the autograph, he gave no tip, and then he laughed and slammed the door in my dad's face. Asshole.

Then he screwed your mum and made your dad watch.

[Eat Like A Bosh]

LMFAO at Kareem trying to act like a caring human being:facepalm
He must want that statue at Staples Center really, really bad.
Anyone who has been around the guy knows he's the biggest A-Hole in NBA history. He's the anti-Magic Johnson. Only Laker I would ever speak badly of.....for very good reason.
I believe you. If you've ever read "When the game was ours", the book by Magic and Bird, Magic has mentioned this, something about Kareem's attitude towards his fans.

[jlauber]

I find it amusing that Wilt gets ripped here so much, and yet BOTH Kareem and Russell were two of the biggest jerks in the history of sports. Even Magic Johnson acknowledged that Kareem was a bastard. And Russell hated the city of Boston, and didn't even show up for his first retirement ceremony. He wouldn't sign an autograph, even for teammates, but later SOLD his sports paraphernalia for an absurd sum.

Meanwhile, Chamberlain was far more accomodating, and treated everyone like a human being. He gave huge sums to charity (even upon his death), and how about this...


He was usually not that good with answering mail. He'd get around to it, but it usually took a while.

One of Wilt's teammates was a fellow by the name of Paul Arizin.

Arizin was a great player in his time (career 1951-62) and is a Hall of Famer, in addition to being a top 50 player (as selected in 1996). He played 12 seasons, averaged 17 ppg as a rookie and more than 20 ppg in each of his other 11 seasons.

In 1993, Arizin's granddaughter Stephanie, unbeknownst to her family, wrote a letter to Wilt asking for an autograph. Stephanie was then 11 years old.

She had written to Wilt in care of the Lakers, and the letter was forwarded to the office of Wilt's attorney and best friend, Sy Goldberg. But because Goldberg's office had moved and Wilt was often inattentive to his mail, the letter was not even opened for THREE years.

When Wilt finally got around to reading it, he immediately called the then-14-year-old Stephanie in suburban Philadelphia, and Wilt and the young girl quickly established an unusual rapport.

Wilt later called Stephanie's father (the son of his former teammate Paul) at work to tell him how much he had enjoyed talking to Stephanie and apologized that it had taken him so long to respond. "She must have thought I was such a jerk, not answering a little girl's request," Wilt said... "I had to call her up and let her know what happened."

It was then that Michael Arizin (Stephanie's father and Paul's son) informed Wilt that, only a week before, Stephanie had been diagnosed with a brain tumor and had been given 12 to 18 months to live. She had never mentioned the illness in her conversations with Wilt.

Wilt promised to stay in touch with Stephanie on a regular basis. True to his word, Wilt spoke to Stephanie Arizin almost every Friday, often for an hour, during the last 15 months of her life. On July 30, 1997, Stephanie passed away at age 16.

Right after her death, Wilt, who was to live little more than two more years himself, sent this telegram:

To the Arizin family:
My sincerest condolences. I am here for you, all of you, if ever I am needed.
I may have tears in my eyes... I lost a friend who was full of strength and loved life passionately... From Stehpanie I realize that you're never too old to learn and never too young to teach. Her body may now be gone, but in my memory she can always be reached. I will forever rejoice in my memory of what she brought to my life in our very short time of friendship.
Love and peace,
"Dippy"
Wilt Chamberlain

A great story. No one really knew about this until Paul Arizin spoke at Wilt's funeral and told everyone assembled there what had happened with Stephanie.

In his will, Wilt left specific bequests ranging from $20,000 to $200,000 to close relatives, $50,000 each to Overbrook High School and the Sonny Hill Basketball League in Philly, and $100,000 to Operation Smile, a nonprofit group of doctors who perform reconstructive surgery on indigent children in the U.S. and developing countries.

After taxes were paid on the estate, Wilt also left $650,000 to Kansas University, and additional $1 million to operation smile and two million dollars to the Wilt Chamberlain Memorial Fund, a non profit organization based in Philadelphia.

[jbryan1984]

Nobody feels bad for Odom. Like someone else said, we all have had death's and not felt like going to work.

[BarberSchool]

LMFAO at Kareem trying to act like a caring human being:facepalm
He must want that statue at Staples Center really, really bad.
Anyone who has been around the guy knows he's the biggest A-Hole in NBA history. He's the anti-Magic Johnson. Only Laker I would ever speak badly of.....for very good reason.**GutPunches DKLaker**

[BarberSchool]

woah, this tall dude can write :bowdown:Seriously, that actually was a very well written short to Lamar.

I wish Lamar had this attitude during hardship:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GPXTffbGbk

[JMT]

I wish some of the older guys would speak on why Kareem was so disliked during his playing days. He always seemed like an introvert, but an intelligent introvert. A thinking man that understood far, far more about the world than just basketball. What am I missing? Is it because he didn't go around high-fiving guys and pandering to the media?

He just didn't seem like a bad guy to me.

Coach Wooden was adamant about his players steering clear of the media, and Kareem says he took that lesson to heart.

When he entered the NBA, Milwaukee was considered hostile territory by African American athletes. That further served to increase his wariness of people and the media.

As much as racism is sadly alive and well in this country, if you weren't alive during the 80-70's, it's hard to comprehend. I guarantee Kareem heard things, beginning when he was a giant target in grade and high school, that would make anyone recoil.

I met him and found him a gracious, polite and engaging guy. Just my personal experience.

[DKLaker]

Coach Wooden was adamant about his players steering clear of the media, and Kareem says he took that lesson to heart.

When he entered the NBA, Milwaukee was considered hostile territory by African American athletes. That further served to increase his wariness of people and the media.

As much as racism is sadly alive and well in this country, if you weren't alive during the 80-70's, it's hard to comprehend. I guarantee Kareem heard things, beginning when he was a giant target in grade and high school, that would make anyone recoil.

I met him and found him a gracious, polite and engaging guy. Just my personal experience.

Well, that's a first........I have never seen nor heard of Kareem being any of that with anyone EVER. Blaming Wooden :facepalm I have friends who played for Wooden, one was a team captain on a Lew Alcindor team (KAJ) they never acted like him and don't really do more than tolerate him now.
LMAO that when his accountant stole his money and he was broke and desperate for a job, the fool was calling ex players for help, everyone laughed and slammed the phone down on him......Karma is a b!tch and all those burned bridges can never be crossed. This is why he is rarely ever given any type of coaching opportunities, this is why there is no statue of him.

I have to say that I know people who have worked on films, commercials and business ventures with him and they all hate the guy. Seriously, people who know him cringe at the mention of his name.
I'm a die hard Lakers fan and I before I met him was a huge fan.....now it is difficult to even watch old video of him playing. All the rest of the guys on those teams were truly great people.

No excuses for Kareem....none at all. I've met and talked to more guys who had it worse than him....guys like Hank Aaron and they have always been very nice.

[Punpun]

Oh man, there is a NAME for your mental condition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudologia_fantastica

Or Mythomania.

[get these NETS]

It would not bug me if KAJ was just another talented athlete who got lucky that people love watching a sport and willing to pay for it. What bugs me is that despite being an influential person who did not back down under pressure and stood up for what he believed, some random kid still has the nerve to call him out and label him as the biggest asshole in the NBA history.


dollar bill bradley also had a bad relationship with reporters

think some of the more cerebral guys don't respect sports journalists..reporters can feel the contempt and they get back at them the only way they know how


like gossiping women.they spread rumors about them

[KelticForce1349]

[QUOTE=zizozain]Straight No Chaser: Kareem Abdul Jabbar - Never White America's Good Negro

By Desi Cortez
Nov 23, 2011

DENVER, CO[/B[I]].---“Change your name back to Lew Alcindor and they'll give you a statue . . . . ‘ [B]John Petrulis

[Teanett]

fukk kareem and fukk lame odor!

[JMT]

Well, that's a first........I have never seen nor heard of Kareem being any of that with anyone EVER. Blaming Wooden.

He discusses Wooden's distrust of the media where it pertained to players in his autobiography. I've also heard him address that during interviews. Nobody said he was "blaming Wooden". Just saying that's an approach he took then and carried with him throughout his career.

As for my encounter, I stated that's just my personal experience. Take it for what it's worth. Personally, it's more believable to me than someone's assertion that they know tons of people who have encountered him and every single one, without fail, hate the guy.

[BlueandGold]

Kareem has got to be one of the most well-read/spoken players in the league. I believed he got a Lit degree from UCLA.

But yea anyways this is clearly an endorsement for the Lakers to pick up Odom for the cheap. Way to go GOAT C.

[DKLaker]

He discusses Wooden's distrust of the media where it pertained to players in his autobiography. I've also heard him address that during interviews. Nobody said he was "blaming Wooden". Just saying that's an approach he took then and carried with him throughout his career.

As for my encounter, I stated that's just my personal experience. Take it for what it's worth. Personally, it's more believable to me than someone's assertion that they know tons of people who have encountered him and every single one, without fail, hate the guy.

I in no way shape or form was doubting your experience, I was stating that it was the first time I EVER heard anyone say something good about the guy.

What were the circumstances of your encounter with him???

It makes no difference to me if anyone believes me or not.
I love my Lakers and would never say anything bad about my team unless it was true.
Kareem was a great player...no question about that, it's too bad I cannot celebrate a great career and the success he brought to my team without cringing at the thought of him.

[RazorBaLade]

I walked into kareem at a laker game he said hello nicely and continued to walk past me.


what an asshole.

[Disaprine]

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110127180607/youtubepoop/images/d/da/DERP_by_Terribly.jpg
:rolleyes:

[zizozain]

Kareem Abdul Jabbar Interviewed by HBR Alison Beard

Listen to the interview this article is based on


http://hbr.org/2012/01/kareem-abdul-jabbar/ar/1


In the NCAA and the NBA you occasionally faced racism. How did you play through those distractions?


If you let it distract you, you’re playing into their hands. Their whole purpose is to distract you and prevent you from succeeding. And for me, success was the goal. My success and the success of other black Americans was exactly what would silence people who indulged in racism. So it was “Keep your eyes on the prize.” That was one of the messages of the civil rights movement, and I tried to do it.

You were known as a focused player who wasn’t very personable. Did that hurt your career?

Well, it had a negative effect on how I was portrayed. But I had no one to explain the value of public relations to me. When I was in college, there was such an intense demand from the press that John Wooden said they couldn’t talk to me at all. So that was what I took for normal going into the NBA. Being at the top of my game and working as hard as I could for the people who employed me—that was my primary focus, and everything else was secondary. So I didn’t always respond to social situations in a pleasant way. When it came to talking to people, I was kind of reserved. But shyness is something you have to overcome. Later in my career, I started doing a lot better relating to fans and talking to the media. I think that’s continued to improve in my retirement.

Do you enjoy it now? Or do you still grit your teeth?

Well, let me say this: It doesn’t bother me anymore. I can handle it. A lot of the people in the media are good people, and by being more accessible, you get to find that out. It’s just like being in any marketplace. There are good people and thieves. And you’ve got to have the judgment to understand which is which and adjust.

What did you learn from your teammates?
You learn to appreciate them, because you can’t win by yourself. One person can’t get it done. So you appreciate the guys who put in the hard work and don’t necessarily get the accolades or the big paycheck, but they’re the guys who make it possible for you to shine and for the team to shine.

There’s a funny story about the end of your first game with Magic Johnson.

What happened was I made the winning shot, and it was like he had just won a championship. He was going crazy, wrestling me down and hugging me and everything. When we got in the locker room, I said, “Look, we’ve got 81 more games to play.” So he got the message from me that it was a long haul, and if you’re going to ride the emotions that intensely, you’ll be a wreck. But from him, in that same moment, I learned that it’s OK to have some fun and enjoy things as you’re having the experience. You can’t be so totally about brass tacks that you don’t enjoy the smaller successes that of course lead to bigger and better things.

As a captain, how did you motivate other players?

By example. I was always in shape. I was always a team player. I understood the fundamentals of the game and worked on them constantly, during the season and in the off-season. And I tried to be always prepared and focused.

What about “managing up” to your coaches?

I was fortunate to have very good coaches who knew what they were doing. But if I had a suggestion, I would try to convey it in a respectful way. Respect always makes people more amenable to criticism or a correction. The whole idea of mutual appreciation really smooths out those interactions between people on different levels.

[Kobe 4 The Win]

No excuses for Kareem....none at all. I've met and talked to more guys who had it worse than him....guys like Hank Aaron and they have always been very nice.

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's judge.