Six-time NBA champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has apologized and clarified his comments about Lebron James following his observation that he has done things that are “beneath him” and that he should be “embarrassed.”
While in attendance to award Carmelo Anthony with the NBA’s inaugural Social Justice Champion Award on Sunday, Jabbar made his first comments regarding James during the Lakers vs. the Nuggets game.
On Monday, Jabber admitted that he sometimes makes mistakes while speaking on SiriusXM NBA Radio.
“I’ve been talking to the press since high school, that’s 60 years of making statements,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “And I haven’t always gotten it right. And Sunday was one of those nights.”
He said, “It wasn’t my intention to criticize LeBron [James] in any way. He has done so much for the Black community as well as for the game of basketball. We may not always agree, but I want to wholeheartedly apologize to LeBron and make it clear to him that I have tremendous respect for him. And if he can accept that, I’ll be very happy.”
According to an email sent to the Los Angeles Times, Jabbar discussed his views on James as an activist and some of the reasons for his criticism.
“LeBron [James] is still the daunting hero I described two years ago,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote. “He’s still a major force in improving lives in the Black Community. He’s still one of the greatest basketball players in history. He’s still a man who has earned the overwhelming admiration of millions. And every day, he goes out and proves why he deserves that admiration.”
He continued, “On occasion, I had chided LeBron when I thought he was dropping the ball when it came to supporting the community. But I did so in the spirit of a loving older brother offering guidance, whether wanted or not. So, when I said that he has done some things he should be embarrassed about, that wasn’t a slam or a barb or even a finger wag. It was me recapping some of what I’d said in the past.”
