"There's no animosity there at all" - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar opens up about his non-existent relationship with LeBron James
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been open about his relatively non-existent relationship with LeBron James since "The King" broke his all-time NBA scoring record earlier this year. The legendary LA Lakers center clarified that there's no hostility between them, and he would like to establish a relationship with James.
In an interview with Michael Corvo of ClutchPoints, Abdul-Jabbar discussed his bond with James. He explained that he never had a chance to speak with the four-time MVP except for a short minute. Despite not having any relationship at all, he's open to having one if LeBron is up for it:
"I've never really had a chance to talk to LeBron, other than 2-3 minutes," Abdul-Jabbar said. "There's no animosity there at all. He's done remarkable things, he deserves all the accolades. ... We might get the chance (to talk), but I certainly wouldn't be against it. As far as where his heart is and the things that he does, I got nothing but admiration for him."
"I've never really had a chance to talk to LeBron [James], other than 2-3 minutes. There's no animosity there at all... He deserves all the accolades."
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says he's hardly spoken to LeBron but would like to if he got the chance 👌
(via @michaelcorvoNBA) https://t.co/U6fiZkPKDB
LeBron James's last interaction with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar happened on February 7 when he broke the NBA's all-time scoring record. Abdul-Jabbar was present when James created history against the OKC Thunder at the Crypto.com Arena.
The game was even halted when James broke the record, and Abdul-Jabbar presented him with the ball he used to break his own scoring record. The two legends then took pictures together.
James once said that he has no relationship with Abdul-Jabbar, who has been critical of him over the years. The six-time NBA champion acknowledged that it was his fault that they don't have any kind of camaraderie:
"LeBron said we don't have a relationship," Abdul-Jabbar wrote on his Substack after James broke the record. "He's right—and for that I blame myself.
"Not for anything I did, but perhaps for not making more of an effort to reach out to him. That disconnect is on me. I knew the pressures he was under, and maybe I could have helped ease them a bit."
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LeBron James linked to Dallas Mavericks
LeBron James hinted about retirement after the LA Lakers were swept by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference finals. While James is unlikely to end his career that abruptly, several NBA rumors have pointed to a potential trade out of the Lakers.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, James' former teammate Kyrie Irving is trying to recruit him to the Dallas Mavericks. Irving was present during the Lakers' game against the Nuggets, linking him to LA, as he's a free agent.
Sources: Kyrie Irving has reached out to Lakers star LeBron James in attempts to see if James would come to Dallas. Irving is a free agent this offseason.
However, it seems like Irving wants to put a new super team consisting of him, James and Luka Doncic in Dallas. It's a dream team for many, but the Mavericks might not have the assets to pull off the trade.
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