It’s impossible to speak about the NBA’s history and not mention Los Angeles Lakers icon Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Through 20 seasons in the league, Abdul-Jabbar etched himself as one of the greatest basketball players ever. He also has an argument for the most decorated basketball player — he won three consecutive national championships at UCLA and three straight New York City Catholic Championships.
The center held the NBA’s all-time scoring record for almost 40 seasons before LeBron James passed him this season. He still holds the record for most MVP awards with six and field goals made. His 19 All-Star appearances are the most ever, tied with LeBron.
Kareem also has an exceptional social justice resume. Some of his activism includes being part of the Cleveland Summit in 1967 to support Muhammed Ali’s decision to boycott the Vietnam War. At just 20 years old, Abdul-Jabbar joined various athletes such as Jim Brown and Bill Russell to show his support for Ali. In 1968, he organized a boycott of the Summer Olympics in Mexico City because of the recent assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
His rich history of social activism led to the NBA creating the “Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award” in 2021. This year’s winner was a recent playoff opponent of the Lakers in Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, who Kareem congratulated on Twitter:
Congratulations to the amazing @StephenCurry30
I am so proud of you for being a champion on and off the court! https://t.co/CBlRGqiik1— Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (@kaj33) May 23, 2023
Abdul-Jabbar would then record a longer message congratulating Curry, via NBA on TNT:
Steph received a special message after being named the 2022-23 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion ? pic.twitter.com/02AmYXGbMq
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 24, 2023
The other winners of the award are two former Lakers: Reggie Bullock in 2022 and Carmelo Anthony in 2021. Curry was among five finalists for the award which included Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul, Memphis Grizzlies center Jaren Jackson Jr., San Antonio Spurs guard Tre Jones, and Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams.
Most of Curry’s work focuses on voter registration and increasing turnout during elections. He is a co-chair of “When We All Vote,” the initiative of former first lady Michelle Obama. He also focuses on helping underrepresented groups and minimizing barriers to opportunity, among other off-the-court activism.
Each team nominates a player for the award with a committee selecting the finalists. No Lakers player has been selected as a finalist in the three-season history of the award.
Austin Reaves enjoyed first postseason experience
Lakers guard Austin Reaves emerged as a key player in the playoffs, averaging 16.9 points plus four rebounds and assists per game. It was Reaves’ first postseason run and he had memorable performances including a 23-point Game 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The season fell short of his goal to win a championship, but Reaves felt gratitude about his first playoffs and is hungry to return.
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