"GOATs don't dance" - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar criticizes LeBron James for the infamous 'big balls' dance celebration
When LeBron James hit a dagger three-point shot in the LA Lakers' 124-116 overtime win over the Indiana Pacers back on November 24th, he did the "big balls" dance celebration. However, Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was not a fan of that as he criticized James for doing it.
In the very first episode of Kareem's Substack commentary on his YouTube channel, the six-time NBA champion called out LeBron for busting out the infamous "big balls" celebration. Abdul-Jabbar called it "stupid" and "childish" as he noted that winning is enough and respect for opponents should be given.
"For me, winning is enough. Why do you need to do a stupid childish dance and disrespect the other team on the court? It doesn't make sense. G.O.A.T.S. don't dance," Abdul-Jabbar said.
Kareem's comments on LeBron James we're both critical and lauding. On one hand, he called out LeBron for being disrespectful and acting like a child for dancing. He also named him one of the greatest of all-time players, a compliment from a player who is also in the G.O.A.T. conversation.
For his "big balls" dance celebration, James was fined by the NBA $15,000. The league has banned the move since the 2010-11 season. The celebration was made famous or infamous by Sam Cassell, who used it whenever he made a big shot during his career.
Lakers LeBron James Fined $15k by NBA for Grabbing His Crotch aka Big Balls Dance During Pacers Game...
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LeBron James is not the only great player who did the "big balls" dance move after hitting a big shot at the end of the game. Kobe Bryant did it in 2009 against the San Antonio Spurs and Klay Thompson used it after hitting a tough shot in Game 4 of the 2019 NBA Finals.
Crazy rollercoaster week for LeBron James
It has been a rollercoaster ride for LeBron James since last week. After helping the LA Lakers defeat the Indiana Pacers, James was fined $15,000 by the NBA the next day for doing the "big balls" dance celebration.
That was followed by a crazy triple overtime game against the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center on November 28th. James had a great game statistically with 30 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists, but he shot just 10-for-25 from the field and had seven turnovers. The Lakers went on to lose that game 141-137.
Two days later, James and the Lakers had a rematch with Isaiah Stewart and the Detroit Pistons. It was an interesting game for "The King" as it was the first time he faced Stewart since their wild scuffle in Detroit on November 22nd that resulted in James' first ever suspension.
LeBron James went on to aggravate his abdominal injury in that game. He was listed as questionable for the next game before entering the NBA's health and safety protocols last Tuesday. James reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 and was immediately placed on a 10-day quarantine.
After just three days and a cryptic tweet, James was cleared by the league after testing negative twice on PCR tests in a span of 24-hours. It should be noted that James tested positive on a PCR Test last Tuesday. Nevertheless, LeBron is listed as questionable for the Lakers' game against the LA Clippers on Friday.
Just in: Lakers star LeBron James has been cleared from health and safety protocols to return on Friday vs. Clippers, after testing positive but since registering multiple negative COVID-19 tests, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
Also Read: Who is LeBron James’ wife, Savannah James?