"Kyrie Irving would be dismissed as a comical buffoon if it weren't for his influence over young people" - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar lashes out at Kyrie Irving on his anti-vaccination stance
NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar called out Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving for tarnishing the reputation of athletes. Irving has been embroiled in controversy since signing with the Nets.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says ‘dumb jock’ Kyrie Irving tarnished his reputation: lakersdaily.com/kareem-abdul-j…
On his blog, LA Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said:
"Kyrie Irving would be dismissed as a comical buffoon if it weren’t for his influence over young people who look up to athletes.
"When I look at some of the athletes who have used their status to actually improve society—Colin Kaepernick, LeBron James, Muhammad Ali, Bill Russel, Billie Jean King, Arthur Ashe, and more, it becomes clear how much Irving has tarnished the reputations of all athletes who strive to be seen as more than dumb jocks."
Irving has been criticized by many in the basketball world recently. His refusal to get vaccinated led to him missing a large portion of last season. However, he was ultimately able to play due to changes in both the Nets' approach to the situation and New York City's vaccination laws.
The financial damage, however, was done, as he reportedly missed out on a $100 million contract and an extension of his shoe deal with Nike.
Let’s make sure our kids have the right kind of role models. Kyrie Irving should reconsider his behavior because young people look up
to him. https://t.co/FyEQmE14Om
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's underrated G.O.A.T. case
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is often overlooked in conversations regarding the greatest NBA player of all-time. The NBA's all-time leading scorer also possesses the most MVPs in league history, winning six MVP awards over a ten-year period. He has as many rings as Michael Jordan, and is level with LeBron James with 10 NBA Finals appearances.
Abdul-Jabbar was a 19x All-Star with 15 All-NBA team selections. He also made the All-Defensive team 11 times. His high school and college accolades show how dominant Kareem was. He won 167 games during his high school and college days and only lost four matches across the two levels. Abdul-Jabbar also possesses what is widely considered to be the most unstoppable shot in NBA history with his sky hook.
While many exclude Abdul-Jabbar from the greatest of all-time conversations, it is likely due to his personality. Throughout his career, he was reserved and not very friendly with the media. The fact that NBA games weren't televised live at the time didn't help his case either.
Many fans don't realize how dominant Abdul-Jabbar truly was on both ends of the floor. Simply from a talent and accolades standpoint, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's resume certainly belongs in the greatest of all-time conconversations.