Most people leave out Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the GOAT debate, but judging from what he did from college until his 1989 retirement, he has as strong a claim as anyone in NBA history. From the three consecutive national titles to the 88-2 record he collected at UCLA, there is probably no better college player than Kareem.
What about his NBA years? Well, Abdul-Jabbar had plenty of help, but who doesn’t?
Abdul-Jabbar played with Oscar Robertson as a Milwaukee Buck, but also had the good fortune of becoming teammates with Magic Johnson, James Worthy and a couple of other Hall of Famers like Bob McAdoo.
But by 1989, Abdul-Jabbar was no longer the force he once was. The writing had been on the wall for years, but this time, there was no denying it. He averaged career lows across the board, including scoring (10.1), rebounding (4.5), assists (1.0), as well as blocks and steals.
Doug went at Kareem
With those numbers, Abdul-Jabbar was left out of the fans’ and coaches’ voting for the All-Star Game. That’s the first time it has ever happened since 1978, when the NBA icon missed the first 20 games of the season with a broken right hand.
Still, Abdul-Jabbar maintained a modest view of himself. He refused an honorary NBA All-Star invite because he was retiring. In his eyes, he wasn’t much of a star to begin with, so why bother?
Doug Moe, however, had a much more personal take. The Denver Nuggets coach wasn’t interested in giving Abdul-Jabbar a sentimental send-off, and he made his feelings clear in a column that took aim at the Los Angeles Lakers legend’s character.
“Somebody asked me if I thought Kareem should be on the All-Star team for sentimental reasons,” Moe wrote in a Denver Post column (H/T: Los Angeles Times).
“You have to like somebody to have sentiment for him. That’s why Dr. J made it (two years ago). . . . Kareem would be the last guy you’d pick for sentimental reasons. Here’s a guy who has been pretty much a jerk almost his entire life. He’s been one of the least-liked guys in the NBA by fans, media, the players.
“If at one time or another you’ve ticked off everybody in basketball, how the hell are you supposed to be voted in for sentimental reasons?” Moe added.
Abdul-Jabbar took the high road
Many people view Abdul-Jabbar as this stern, distant basketball figure who never bothered to hide his feelings. Just ask Charles Barkley.
Abdul-Jabbar wasn’t the type to flash a smile for the cameras or pretend to be someone he wasn’t just to make people like him. Even his teammates didn’t always find him easy to approach.
Abdul-Jabbar had his reasons to keep people at arm’s length. He was there to play hoops, nothing more, nothing less. Everything else coming from him was a bonus.
That made Abdul-Jabbar highly unpopular with fans and the media. Not that he cared, though.
“It (being lovable) hasn’t been the first priority in my career, as you probably know. It has probably cost me some popularity. Especially with Doug Moe,” he said.
But just as everyone in NBA circles was ready to go to the All-Star Game without Abdul-Jabbar for the first time since 1978, the league office called. They needed an injury replacement for Johnson. Larry Bird also begged off, so the 1989 Midseason Classic lacked household names.
This time around, Abdul-Jabbar obliged. He played 13 minutes and finished with four points, three rebounds and two blocks.
Uncompromising
For all his moodiness and sometimes prickly behavior, Abdul-Jabbar was at least real enough not to put on an act to win people over. He had strong opinions on matters and stood by his principles no matter what.
The 1989 All-Star Game episode reflected that class. Abdul-Jabbar didn’t fire back at Moe for assassinating his character and admitted he wasn’t playing at an All-Star level that year. But when the NBA actually needed him, Abdul-Jabbar came through and answered the call.
If that’s not the definition of a class act through and through, then what is?