Kareem Abdul-Jabbar "feels slighted" there is no statue of him outside Staples Center

[strahanfan92]

Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who won five world championships as a Los Angeles Laker and remains the NBA's all-time leading scorer, believes the franchise owes him a statue outside Staples Center and feels "slighted" that it hasn't already happened.

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With a statue of his likeness yet to grace the outside of Staples, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says "it's either an oversight" or the Lakers are "taking me for granted."
There are five statues outside the arena recognizing Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Chick Hearn, Wayne Gretzky and Oscar De La Hoya. Abdul-Jabbar believes it's high time the Lakers do the right thing and make him the sixth athlete so honored.

"I don't understand (it). It's either an oversight or they're taking me for granted," Abdul-Jabbar told The Sporting News in a recent interview. "I'm not going to try to read people's minds, but it doesn't make me happy. It's definitely a slight. I feel slighted."

The six-time NBA MVP sounded even more offended in a statement released subsequently by his business manager.

"I am highly offended by the total lack of acknowledgement of my contribution to Laker success," Abdul-Jabbar was quoted as saying. "I guess being the lynchpin for five world championships is not considered significant enough in terms of being part of Laker history."

Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA titles in all and was part of three NCAA championship teams during his reign of greatness at UCLA. His accomplishments also include selection to a record 19 NBA All-Star teams (he played in 18).

Lakers spokesman John Black indicated to The Sporting News that Abdul-Jabbar is next in line to get a statue outside Staples Center.

"We've been at Staples Center 11 years and have two ex-players (Johnson and West) who have statues now," Black said, according to TSN. "It's not like we do it every year; we have no timetable. Whenever we do the next statue of the third Los Angeles Lakers player, it (will be) Kareem -- and he has been told that.

"Again, we didn't say when that was going to be. It could be next year, the year after or several years from now."

Several weeks ago, the Boston Celtics announced that Hall of Fame center Bill Russell will be honored with a statue in the city of Boston -- more than 40 years after his playing days for the Celtics ended.

[red33]

de la hoya has one? wtf man. can a boxing guy tell me if he deserves one or is this a move to atrract the mexican population. cause if it is then we need a chan ho park one for the koreans that live there.

i cant see de la hoya being a bigger figure in his sport then kareem was in his.

[Kuzzy Powers]

I gotta agree with Kareem, its an insult to not have his statute outside the Staples centre.

[NAHSTE]

This statue shit needs to stop.

[jeffx]

I gotta agree with Kareem, its an insult to not have his statute outside the Staples centre.

You could say Kareem had a better career than Magic or Larry. He was a winner in high school, college and the pros. Changed the face of college basketball, won six titles as a pro(same as Jordan), and had the most unstoppable shot in NBA history.

[ralaw]

I've never understood why KAJ has never really been given credit for his contributions to basketball.....its strange that he's very underrated.

[jeffx]

I've never understood why KAJ has never really been given credit for his contributions to basketball.....its strange that he's very underrated.

Yep, and we're talking about the third greatest center in NBA history behind Wilt and Russell. Dude had an amazing career going back to his days at Power Memorial. His NBA accomplishments are second to none when you consider the competition he faced on a nightly basis(Wilt, Willis Reed, Nate Thurmond, Bill Walton, Dave Cowens, Bob Lanier, Wes Unseld, Dan Issel, Artis Gilmore, Moses Malone, Robert Parrish, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, etc.), sometimes getting double-teamed and hammered.

It probably has to do with Kareem's personality. He wasn't exactly bubbly like Magic - some media loudmouths described him as 'surly', which is unfair. John Wooden described Kareem(I'm paraphrasing from KAJ's "Giant Steps) as an intelligent, quiet, misunderstood young man who was hurt by the wrong people.

Kareem's written some excellent books on black American athletes and war heroes. Ralaw, check them out if you haven't already.

[stevsta]

de la hoya has one? wtf man. can a boxing guy tell me if he deserves one or is this a move to atrract the mexican population. cause if it is then we need a chan ho park one for the koreans that live there.

i cant see de la hoya being a bigger figure in his sport then kareem was in his.

if you did not live in east LA you would not know the influence and help he has given to the community. Yes he deserved the statue.

[dave]

I've never understood why KAJ has never really been given credit for his contributions to basketball.....its strange that he's very underrated.

He's one of those guys who was surly to the media, which absolutely kills legends like this.
And, as Jeffx wrote, he was a surly, wealthy black man. A double foul. We, the white media, cannot have that.
If you're surly and white (Ty Cobb), you're colourful. If you're surly and black, you're just an ungrateful bitch.

Look at Jim Rice and Gary Carter - Rice a better player, better numbers ... but Carter is the HOFer - simply because he knew how to play the media game.
You can find examples like this in every sport.

It's simple math - if you want to exploit all your earning potential as a star athlete, you have to play the game ... and part of that game is dealing with the media.

[strahanfan92]

it was all they talked about on radio this morning....he was on mike and mike.it was awful

When is Mike and Mike not awful?

[FedEx227]

Look at Jim Rice and Gary Carter - Rice a better player, better numbers ... but Carter is the HOFer - simply because he knew how to play the media game.
You can find examples like this in every sport.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZqZW0KZtTs[/ame]

[Senser81]

If you're surly and white (Ty Cobb), you're colourful. If you're surly and black, you're just an ungrateful bitch.

Look at Jim Rice and Gary Carter - Rice a better player, better numbers ... but Carter is the HOFer - simply because he knew how to play the media game.
You can find examples like this in every sport.

These are some of the worst examples I've ever seen. I have never heard Cobb described these days as "colorful". He is pretty much reviled. They even had Tommy Lee Jones play him in a movie.

Rice and Carter play two completely different positions. Carter was the best hitter/fielder combination in a catcher during his time. I would argue that he was the best catcher of his era. Jim Rice was a very good hitter. Carter's HOF credentials are much stronger than Rice's.

[Warner2BruceTD]

These are some of the worst examples I've ever seen. I have never heard Cobb described these days as "colorful". He is pretty much reviled. They even had Tommy Lee Jones play him in a movie.

Rice and Carter play two completely different positions. Carter was the best hitter/fielder combination in a catcher during his time. I would argue that he was the best catcher of his era. Jim Rice was a very good hitter. Carter's HOF credentials are much stronger than Rice's.

Sums up what I was going to post.

Cobb is one of the most vilified men in sports history. He died with no friends, and was hated almost universally from the start of his career to the day he died.

[NAHSTE]

LOL at Ty Cobb being described as "colorful". If by "colorful" you mean "universally hated racist" then sure.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Speaking of Cobb, "Cobb" is my current 'pretend I'm taking a shit just to escape from my GF when she is being annoying' book, and I can't believe I waited this many years to read it. Amazing.