Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to be honoured with a statue outside Staples Center – NBA News
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Hall of Famer and NBA’s all time leading scorer, will be the next person who will be honoured with a status outside the Staples Centre, the home of his NBA team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers have decided to honour one of the greatest players ever in the NBA by erecting a statue of him outside the arena, where he will join the statues of former Lakers players Magic Johnson and Jerry West. The team is going to announce a date for the unveiling of the statue sometime in the near future.
Jabbar is one of the most decorated players in NBA history, winning 6 NBA championships and 6 regular season MVP’s. He is the scoring leader in the NBA to this date, and has a record 19 All Star appearances. He helped the Lakers become a dynasty in the 1980’s, leading them to multiple NBA championships and helping cement the legacy of the basketball franchise.
Jabbar has not had the best of relations with his former employers in recent years, and the Lakers relieved him of his duties as a special assistant coach following the 2010-2011 season.
He also openly voiced his disappointment when Jerry West was honoured by the Lakers with a statue in 2011 during the All Star Weekend.
"I don't understand (it). It's either an oversight or they're taking me for granted. 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,” Jabbar had said at the time.
Lakers spokesman John Black had said shortly after Jabbar’s comments that the Lakers had decided he would be the next person to be honoured with a statue.
Jabbar later voiced other concerns and disagreements he had with the Lakers franchise and management.
"When you look at what (owner Jerry Buss) did for Earvin (Johnson) and what he did for me, big disparity there. I just think that it's a mindset that's taken over in the organization that I'm of minimal value to the organization and they're doing other things,” Jabbar said in an interview with ESPN's "Mike & Mike in the Morning," show.
Jabbar has not yet made any comments on the decision by the Lakers to erect his statue. However, it is nonetheless, a huge honour for the hall of famer, who will now see his statue erected in front of one of the most famous arenas in American sporting circle.
Tags: