LeBron James sits just 1,326 points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the NBA’s scoring record, but that doesn’t mean he wants to pal around with the Hall of Famer as he approaches that mark in the upcoming season.
When the current Los Angeles Lakers star was asked if he has a relationship with the team’s former captain, or perhaps any thoughts on the Abdul-Jabbar, James suddenly got frosty with reporters on Tuesday.
‘No thoughts, and no relationship,’ said James, who has 37,062 career points compared to Abdul-Jabbar’s 38,387.Â
LeBron James sits just 1,326 points Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the NBA’s scoring record, but that doesn’t mean he wants to pal around with the Hall of Famer as he approaches that mark in the upcoming season
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a frequent critic of LeBron James’ response to the COVID pandemic
Lakers legends Shaquille O’Neal, Bob McAdoo, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Jerry West, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar pose for a photo during the NBA 75 Group Photo as part of the 2022 NBA All Star Weekend on February 19
Typically record-setting athletes engage in a friendly back-and-forth with the record holders they surpass. In the case of the late Roger Maris, whose American League home run record was just beaten by Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, it’s the record-holder’s descendent, his son, who has been on hand to anoint the new leader.
But that level of camaraderie might prove elusive in the NBA this season, given Abdul-Jabbar’s frequent attacks on James, including reprimanding him for performing a vulgar dance in celebration of a made 3-pointer last November.
‘For me, winning is enough,’ Abdul-Jabbar, a six-time NBA champion, said on a SubStack video. ‘Why do you need to do a stupid, childish dance and disrespect the other team on the court?’
More significantly, Abdul-Jabbar criticized James’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting the 37-year-old’s scepticism set a bad example.
James acknowledged the friction with Abdul-Jabbar at last week’s media day, but was careful not to dismiss the legendary center’s on-court achievements.
‘Obviously Kareem has had his differences with some of my views and some of the things that I do,’ James told reporters.
‘But listen at the end of the day, to be able to be in the same breath as a guy that wore this same uniform, a guy that was a staple of this franchise, along with Magic [Johnson], Big Game [James Worthy] over there for so many years, especially in the ’80s, and a guy that does a lot off the floor as well, I think is just super-duper dope, for myself to even be in that conversation.’
Typically record-setting athletes engage in a friendly back-and-forth with the record holders they surpass. In the case of the late Roger Maris, whose American League home run record was just beaten by Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, it’s the record-holder’s descendent, his son, Maris Jr., (right), who has been on hand to offer supportÂ
Karrem Abdul-Jabbar reprimanded LeBron James for performing a vulgar dance in celebration of a made 3-pointer last November (pictured). ‘For me, winning is enough,’ Abdul-Jabbar, a six-time NBA champion, said on a SubStack video. ‘Why do you need to do a stupid, childish dance and disrespect the other team on the court?’Â
Similarly, Abdul-Jabbar also criticized James’s former teammate, the unvaccinated Nets star Kyrie Irving, over his COVID-related beliefs and for parroting conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
‘Kyrie Irving would be dismissed as a comical buffoon if it weren’t for his influence over young people,’ Abdul-Jabbar, 75, wrote on his Substack about the Brooklyn Nets star.
Irving made headlines last season for his refusal to adhere to local workplace vaccine mandates, instead opting to miss long stretches of the 2021-22 campaign.
The unvaccinated Irving then made waves last month by posting a 20-year-old clip of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones describing a ‘new world order’ that would unleash viruses to gain control of the public.
In the video Jones said: ‘Yes there have been corrupt empires. Yes they manipulate. Yes there are secret societies. Yes there have been oligarchies throughout history.
‘And yes, today in 2002, there is a tyrannical organization calling itself the New World Order…by releasing diseases and viruses and plagues upon us, we then basically get shoved into their system.’
The video was titled: ‘Never Forget – Alex Jones Tried To Warn Us.’
‘Alex Jones is one of the most despicable human beings alive and to associate with him means you share his stench,’ Abdul-Jabbar wrote about the political media figure at the center of several controversies.
NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a long-time healthcare and social justice advocate, has called out Nets (left) star Kyrie Irving for parroting conspiracy theorist Alex Jones (right)
Irving’s tweet came as Jones faced several lawsuits over his false claims that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax. A Texas jury previously awarded $50 million to survivors’ families over Jones’ lies.
At last week’s media day, Irving claimed his desire to be a ‘voice for the voiceless’ cost him a likely nine-figure contract. He said both the Nets and other NBA teams were scared off by his decision to go unvaccinated despite the fact that the league has no mandate in place.
‘I gave up four years, $100-something million deciding to be unvaccinated,’ he told reporters. ‘That was the decision. It was contract [and] get vaccinated or be unvaccinated and there’s a level of uncertainty of your future.’
Abdul-Jabbar, a staunch advocate for COVID vaccines who once boycotted the 1968 US Olympic team over the country’s treatment of African Americans, apparently does not consider Irving to be much of an activist.
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The 20-year-old video, entitled ‘Never Forget – Alex Jones Tried To Warn Us,’ refers to a ‘New World Order’ that would ‘release plagues’
Interestingly, Abdul-Jabbar did mention James among a list of other athletes whom he does consider to be positive figures.
‘When I look at some of the athletes who have used their status to actually improve society — Colin Kaepernick, LeBron James, Muhammad Ali, Bill Russell, 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,’ he wrote.
Abdul-Jabbar specifically challenged Irving to be a better role model by getting vaccinated – something the New Jersey native has thus far refused.
‘Last October, I wrote a piece about Kyrie Irving’s refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19 … and why this reckless choice was destructive to the country and especially the Black community where he would be an influential role model,’ Abdul-Jabbar wrote. ‘The facts proved that accusation to be true. Irving didn’t care. He continued to promote his anti-vax sentiments — regardless of the cost in lives and health to others — proclaiming himself a ”martyr.” Not kidding.’
Abdul-Jabbar concluded by referencing Irving’s previous adherence to the theory that the earth is actually flat and not spherical.
‘We might have just left him alone to stew in his own gelatinous ignorance,’ the NBA’s all-time leading scorer continued. ‘Rich and famous people get away with saying dumb things all the time because their money isolates them from consequences. They surround themselves with Yes-people whose job is to confirm whatever hare-brained ideas they have. Yes, sir, Mr. Irving, the Earth has never been flatter.’
Abdul-Jabbar also tweeted a picture of Irving flipping off Boston Celtics fans alongside a caption: ‘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.’
