Kareem Abdul-Jabbar feels 'slighted'

**Aslan** · 05-18-2011, 05:21 PM

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.

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 acknowledgment of my contribution to Laker success," Abdul-Jabbar was quoted as saying. "I guess being the linchpin 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.
http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nb...espn-twttr
Thoughts?

***Spud6*** · 05-18-2011, 07:38 PM

A little conceded much? I agree he needs a statue. But you don't need to publicly go out and say that it hurts your little heart that their isn't one up yet.

**LWC** · 05-19-2011, 01:11 AM

How did Magic get a statue before this cocky man?

**Stardust** · 05-19-2011, 02:38 AM

Kareem, if any player in the league, deserves a statue. He revolutionized the Center position!

**Ballers** · 05-19-2011, 10:08 AM

I say give the man a statue...
But, that is not the way to go about it either.. Cocky-ass.

**Stardust** · 05-19-2011, 10:19 AM

^ Agreed, but Kareem has been a bitter man ever since he left the NBA. Does not take away from his greatness on the court, but he's been very bitter

**Ballers** · 05-19-2011, 11:57 AM

Stardust Wrote:^ Agreed, but Kareem has been a bitter man ever since he left the NBA. Does not take away from his greatness on the court, but he's been very bitter

He's going to be even more bitter when Kobe and Lebron passes him in points.. Well IDK about Kobe doing it, but Lebron will do it.

HHS · 05-19-2011, 12:21 PM

If any Laker deserves a statue it is Kareem

The Private · 05-19-2011, 12:53 PM

Greatest center of all times. One of the greatest players of all time [top five]
1.Michael Jordan
2.Magic Johnson
3.Larry Bird
4.Kareem
5.Bill Russell

***zaga_fan*** · 05-19-2011, 02:29 PM

He does deserve a statue....
but c'mon man Wink

**Aslan** · 05-19-2011, 09:23 PM

Ballers Wrote:He's going to be even more bitter when Kobe and Lebron passes him in points.. Well IDK about Kobe doing it, but Lebron will do it.

I don't know if either one of them one. Kobe stats are going down every year, and in the next few years Lebron's will too. In their prime both of these guys relied on their athleticism to score. Kobe's gotten older and had to adjust his game, Lebron will too. If Lebron develops a post game like Kobe's and a more consistent jump shot, he could pass Kareem. The biggest obstacle for Lebron will be if he can avoid that major injury. Kobe lost an entire season in his prime because of his knee, if it weren't for that, he'd already passed Shaq in career points.

**Ballers** · 05-20-2011, 09:40 AM

Aslan Wrote:I don't know if either one of them one. Kobe stats are going down every year, and in the next few years Lebron's will too. In their prime both of these guys relied on their athleticism to score. Kobe's gotten older and had to adjust his game, Lebron will too. If Lebron develops a post game like Kobe's and a more consistent jump shot, he could pass Kareem. The biggest obstacle for Lebron will be if he can avoid that major injury. Kobe lost an entire season in his prime because of his knee, if it weren't for that, he'd already passed Shaq in career points.

Uhh.. Lebron is what like 25? 26? He has A LOT of prime years left buddy.

**Stardust** · 05-20-2011, 01:30 PM

^ LOL, spot-on Ballers

**Aslan** · 05-20-2011, 04:44 PM

Ballers Wrote:Uhh.. Lebron is what like 25? 26? He has A LOT of prime years left buddy.

You know what I meant. About 29-30 is when many stars stats start declining, especially ones that rely on their athleticism. Lebron might break it but he's not going to put up numbers like this forever.

**Stardust** · 05-20-2011, 08:03 PM

^ Good think Michael Jordan didn't buy into that when he won the first of 6 titles at the OLD AGE of 29

**Aslan** · 05-20-2011, 08:31 PM

That's freaking Micheal Jordan, lol! He lost some of his athleticism and changed his game and still excelled. Can Lebron do that? Well see.

**Hoot Gibson** · 05-20-2011, 09:54 PM

Aslan Wrote:That's freaking Micheal Jordan, lol! He lost some of his athleticism and changed his game and still excelled. Can Lebron do that? Well see.

Lebron does not need to change his game as much as Kobe does as he gets older. He has consistently posted better numbers in terms of assists, rebounds, and field goal percentage. There is a good reason that the Big O is on record as saying if any current player is capable of averaging a triple-double for a season, then it is Lebron.

**Aslan** · 05-20-2011, 10:10 PM

Hoot Gibson Wrote:Lebron does not need to change his game as much as Kobe does as he gets older. He has consistently posted better numbers in terms of assists, rebounds, and field goal percentage. There is a good reason that the Big O is on record as saying if any current player is capable of averaging a triple-double for a season, then it is Lebron.

When Lebron gets up there in age he will have to change his game. He relies on his athleticism to create plays for himself and his teammates. He's not going to have the great first step and be able to leap over everybody when he hits his early 30's.
I'm not dissing Lebron is anyway, just saying, no player can escape what aging does to their bodies.

**Hoot Gibson** · 05-20-2011, 10:38 PM

Aslan Wrote:When Lebron gets up there in age he will have to change his game. He relies on his athleticism to create plays for himself and his teammates. He's not going to have the great first step and be able to leap over everybody when he hits his early 30's.
I'm not dissing Lebron is anyway, just saying, no player can escape what aging does to their bodies.

But players who are inherently selfish have a much more difficult time dealing with their diminishing athleticism. Wilt Chamberlain is a great example of a superstar with great athletic ability who, despite a huge ego, willingly accepted a smaller supporting role late in his career to win titles.

Wilt shot 72.7% from the field (best of his career and the all-time NBA best season RPG average) and averaged 18.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in his final NBA season as a Laker. As an offensive player, Wilt was in a class by himself, and yet I never considered him to be a selfish player. I just can't see a player like Kobe ever being happy as part of the supporting cast.

**Aslan** · 05-21-2011, 01:44 AM

Ugh Kobe is not a selfish player.

LClion4life · 05-21-2011, 02:05 AM

^ :thatsfunn

**Hoot Gibson** · 05-21-2011, 07:06 AM

Aslan Wrote:Ugh Kobe is not a selfish player.

Then there are no selfish players in today's NBA. Kobe played an average of only 33.9 minutes per game this season while averaging 20.0 shots per game (0.1 shot per game behind Monta Ellis). Of the top 10 in shots per game, only 3 players had a worse shooting percentage than Kobe and none of them played fewer minutes per game than Kobe did.

Kobe is a great shooter but his shooting percentage has suffered throughout his career because of the high "degree of difficulty" of so many of his shots. I equate poor shot selection with selfishness but you may choose whatever euphemism you want to describe your favorite ball hog. :eyeroll:

**Aslan** · 05-21-2011, 07:28 PM

Hoot Gibson Wrote:Then there are no selfish players in today's NBA. Kobe played an average of only 33.9 minutes per game this season while averaging 20.0 shots per game (0.1 shot per game behind Monta Ellis). Of the top 10 in shots per game, only 3 players had a worse shooting percentage than Kobe and none of them played fewer minutes per game than Kobe did.

Kobe is a great shooter but his shooting percentage has suffered throughout his career because of the high "degree of difficulty" of so many of his shots. I equate poor shot selection with selfishness but you may choose whatever euphemism you want to describe your favorite ball hog. :eyeroll:

Don't you think playing with a broken finger on his shooting hand would contribute to his shooting percentage? It's a wonder he can shoot the ball with any accuracy at all.

**Hoot Gibson** · 05-21-2011, 07:56 PM

Aslan Wrote:Don't you think playing with a broken finger on his shooting hand would contribute to his shooting percentage? It's a wonder he can shoot the ball with any accuracy at all.

How many years has Kobe's finger been broken? (Answer: 2) For the 2010-11 regular season he shot 45.1% and he is a career 45.4% shooter.

For this year's playoffs, Kobe shot 44.6% and his career playoff shooting percentage is 44.8%.

If a broken finger accounted for Kobe's lackluster shooting performance for the past 2 seasons, that still leaves him with 13 seasons for which he has no alibi. I am sticking with my ball hog theory.

LClion4life · 05-21-2011, 08:04 PM

That broken finger excuse is getting olllllddddd.

**Stardust** · 05-21-2011, 09:36 PM

^ As long as it still works, they will continue to use it

LClion4life · 05-21-2011, 11:33 PM

Kobe's one of the biggest divas in the game. He has another injury every game. If they were half as serious as he makes them out to be, he'd be lucky to be able to dribble a basketball. I could almost swear he just uses them as built in excuses if he plays bad.

**OffTheHook** · 05-22-2011, 01:23 AM

I say give Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr his statue!!!!

**Aslan** · 05-22-2011, 02:15 AM

It's not an excuse. No other player in the league could average 25 a game and still shoot 45% from the field with a broken finger.
Haters gonna hate, it's as simple as that.

**Stardust** · 05-22-2011, 05:57 AM

^ But he never had a broken finger in the first place................