The 80 best quotes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar born during the year 1947 with the name Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr., he was a famous professional basketball player who managed to play for teams as important as the Los Angeles Lakers or the Milwaukee Bucks.

Currently, this mythical player is considered one of the best in history, not in vain was he chosen up to 19 All Star times and has numerous records that support him.

His reserved character and his particular way of being made him the legend we all know today, possibly one of the most complete players to ever compete in the NBA.

• We recommend you read: "The 65 best famous phrases of Michael Jordan"

Great quotes from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Here we present a brief selection of the 80 best phrases of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, an icon of basketball from the 70s and 80s that you should definitely know about.

1. I'm not comfortable being a preacher, but more people need to start spending as much time in the library as they are on the basketball court.

Education is very important, with it we will be more efficient in all aspects of our lives.

2. When I was a kid, no one would believe anything positive you could say about black people. That is a terrible burden.

As an African American, Abdul-Jabbar had to live with the problem of racism, a very negative aspect of society that even today we have not managed to put an end to.

3. Blacks have no accurate idea of ​​their history, which has been suppressed or distorted.

African Americans have been stripped of their history and culture, many of them do not know where they come from or what the customs of their ancestors were.

4. A team will always appreciate a great individual if he is willing to sacrifice himself for the group.

Basketball is a team game and in order to win, we all need to act together. No team has managed to achieve great goals without playing together.

5. You must be able to center yourself, let go of all your emotions... Never forget that you play with your soul and with your body.

Concentration is always very important in everything we do, but when we play against the toughest teams in the world it is perhaps even more so.

6. I didn't really seek attention. He just wanted to play the game right and go home.

Fame never attracted Abdul-Jabbar, sports came first and last for him.

7. I believe that the good and the great are only separated by the willingness to sacrifice.

Great achievements will require great sacrifice on our part, not everyone is willing to give their all on the pitch.

8. I will not disappear.

The mythical basketball figure was here to stay and would do whatever was necessary to build his own legend.

9. As brilliant as Michael Jordan was, he didn't succeed until he got a good team together.

Even the best player in history needed a team that played cohesively, individually it is impossible to achieve victory.

10. In athletics there has always been a willingness to cheat if it appears that you are not cheating. I think that's just a quirk of human nature.

Cheating in sports has always been present, Abdul-Jabbar was aware of it and of course he did not share this very negative philosophy.

11. The extra passing and the extra effort on defense always get the job done.

If one wants to achieve victory, he must always do his best, giving 100 percent of ourselves will always give us results.

12. I hope more people from China and Asia end up in the NBA.

The NBA is a truly inclusive league, racism has never had a place in it.

13. When the line started to blur between fans and players, sometimes things can get ugly.

Spectators are really close to the field, security in matches must always be planned to the millimeter.

14. I am still the son of my parents, I am still me, but I made a decision. I became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I think it has to do with evolution.

When the time comes, we must all mature and be able to become the man we will be for the rest of our lives.

15. My choice of Islam was not a political statement; It was a spiritual statement.

Like many other African Americans, Abdul-Jabbar decided to convert to the religion of his ancestors. With this conversion he managed to feel much more identified with himself.

16. I felt that a number of people might have questioned my loyalty, but I remain a patriotic American.

The United States is still the country with which he identifies, he changed his religion but did not abandon the feelings he harbored about the place where he was born.

17. I have been training recently. I coached high school basketball in Arizona, and I look forward to more opportunities available.

Basketball has always accompanied him, even after his retirement. As long as he's alive, he'll always keep practicing it.

18. Fundamental preparation is always effective. Work on those parts of your game that are fundamentally weak.

The basic exercises are important, they can help us improve our most obvious weaknesses.

19. Jackie Robinson, as an athlete and as someone trying to stand up for equality, was exemplary.

In this quote, Abdul-Jabbar tells us about the famous baseball player Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play in the major leagues. An example of overcoming and guts.

20. I think race has been a burden on black Americans. Being a Muslim has also been a challenge because many people do not understand Islam.

Adopting Islam was undoubtedly a fact that changed the opinion that many people had about it. But this great athlete was not going to let third parties decide how he should live his life.

21. The transition was difficult. It is difficult to leave something that you have enjoyed and that has been very rewarding.

Leaving the sport that you have practiced all your life is always complicated, the process can be long but in the end you will be able to find your place in society.

22. I wanted to play baseball!

Baseball was a sport that he had always wanted to practice and perhaps this would be a good opportunity to do so.

23. I feel like progress has been made since I was a kid on issues of race, but we have a long way to go.

Society has changed over time and racism has decreased, but still we have not been able to end it.

24. My most memorable moment was in 1985 when we beat the Boston Celtics.

That was certainly a memorable victory. The Lakers showed what they were capable of and Abdul-Jabbar was named MVP of the game.

25. The game has basically not changed since I finished my career.

Basketball remains the same, the players have changed, but the sport contains the same essence.

26. I would suggest that teachers show their students concrete examples of the negative effects of actions glorified by gangsta rappers.

Education is very important in young people, thanks to it they will be able to have a much more successful life.

27. As a parent, I have a job as a role model to my children and by extension to other young people.

The example we set is the one that young people will follow. If as adults we all led exemplary lives, young people would follow the same steps in the future.

28. I think black Americans expect too much from individual black Americans in terms of changing the status quo.

As a people, African Americans should not put too much pressure on themselves, with hard work and perseverance they will achieve anything they set their minds to.

29. I think someone should explain to the child that it's okay to make mistakes. This is how we learn. When we compete, we make mistakes.

We all make mistakes and learn from them. Mistakes are more valuable than we usually think.

30. I think the NBA will certainly survive without Michael Jordan.

When Michael Jordan retired it was quite a shock to the sports world, but life had to go on and many other great players came after him.

31. I saw Islam as the correct way to live, and I chose to try to live that way.

We should all be free to adopt the religion with which we feel most identified. Religious freedom must be an inalienable right of all people,

32. I believe that NBA players should be held to a reasonable account, just like any other professional.

All great athletes report to the public treasury, their contribution to the state coffers has always been very important.

33. I hope to be involved in a successful movie script.

The figure of this mythical player gives for more than one movie. After his withdrawal, Abdul-Jabbar did not rule out his appearance in some other film.

34. I listen to jazz mainly. conventional jazz.

Jazz is a really interesting musical style, thanks to it we can manage to express what we feel using simple improvisation.

35. When we faced teams that were better, I just hoped that I could steal the wins.

He didn't always have superiority on the court, but he wasn't going to let anyone intimidate him. I would always fight to the end no matter what the outcome.

36. The center is a very difficult position to play.

Directing the game is one of the most difficult jobs in basketball. Having a good strategy will be absolutely necessary to be able to achieve victory.

37. Your mind is what makes everything else work.

The mind is the most powerful tool that the human being possesses, working and developing it can bring us many benefits.

38. I think I did very well against everyone who tried to defend me.

As a player, he always gave his best, putting his entire being into the game and giving his best until the last second.

39. I tell kids to chase their basketball dreams, but I tell them not to let that be their only dream.

We should not limit ourselves in our life, we can pursue as many dreams as we are capable of imagining.

40. One man can be a crucial ingredient in a team, but one man cannot make a team.

In this quote, this player tells us about what is a great truth, a player can make a difference but he will not be able to do all the work alone.

41. I can do something other than put a ball through a hoop. My greatest resource is my mind.

After his retirement he decided to pursue another of his great hobbies, writing. A hobby in which he also developed with great mastery.

42. It's hard for young players to see the big picture. They only see three or four years ahead.

Maturity gives us a new way of seeing life and understanding the world. When we are young, we tend to have a very limited vision of everything that surrounds us, which will also harm us on more than one occasion.

43. You can't win if you don't play as a unit.

Team play is essential in basketball, without it we will never be able to win any game.

44. I supported the Dodgers when they were in Brooklyn.

Off the field, this player greatly enjoyed watching baseball games, another of his favorite sports.

45. I try to do the right thing at the right time. They can be little things, but they usually make the difference between winning and losing.

Certain actions can be totally decisive in a basketball game, being in the right place can be very important.

46. I read a book in 1996, an overview of black history. In the process I became more aware of many of the black inventors of the 19th century.

Reading can be very beneficial for us, perhaps it will open the doors to a world of knowledge that we were unaware of before.

47. My mother had to send me to the movies with my birth certificate, so she wouldn't have to pay the extra fifty cents that adults had to pay.

From a very young age, this player already stood out for his physical qualities, those qualities made him experience moments as unlikely as the one he tells us about in this quote.

48. High school dropouts are missing out on pursuing the American dream.

Studies and education are very important, with them we will be able to have the necessary skills to be able to face the future successfully.

49. In a typical history book, black Americans are mentioned in the context of slavery or civil rights. There is much more to the story.

African Americans were not only slaves, they positively collaborated in the development of their nation in many other areas,

50. Sports and entertainment are the only places inner-city kids look capable of succeeding. Their intellectual development is something they don't relate to.

The marginal classes of the big cities usually do not have access to a quality education. This is something that society should change as soon as possible.

51. When I was 17 years old, I worked in a mentoring program in Harlem designed to improve the community. It was then that I gained an appreciation of the Harlem Renaissance, a time when African-Americans rose to prominence in American culture. For the first time, they were taken seriously as artists, musicians, writers, athletes, and political thinkers.

During his youth he was able to see the emergence of a new dawn for the African American people, something that changed his life and his way of thinking.

52. My biggest accomplishment has been making the transition from athlete to author.

Becoming an author has been a great achievement for him, certainly a feat worthy of praise. Abdul-Jabbar's works as a writer will be with us forever.

53. Musical rhythms are mathematical patterns. When you listen to a song and your body starts moving to it, your body is doing math. The kids in their parents' garage practicing to be a band may not realize it, but they are also practicing math.

Music is really complex, being able to make quality music will require us to have outstanding skills in other areas that perhaps many are unaware of.

54. I always thought that I could do a good job as a coach, but the opportunities have not presented themselves.

Maybe he didn't become the coach he could have been, but that didn't stop him on his path to self-improvement.

55. I've always thought that writers come with any variety of attributes. Some are capable and some are not.

Not everyone has the necessary qualities to be able to write a good book, as this former athlete tells us, some people are simply born for it.

56. The type of leukemia I'm dealing with is treatable. So if I do what my doctors tell me to do: check my blood regularly, take my medications, and see my doctor and follow any additional instructions I can do, I will be able to maintain my good health and live my life with minimal interruptions to my lifestyle. life.

Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with cancer in 2008, a disease that has kept him from activities that he normally enjoys more than he would like.

57. Yoga is good for you.

Yoga is an exercise with a host of benefits, both physical and mental.

58. My grandfather and uncle died of colorectal cancer, my father almost died, and I have the gene for it.

Cancer has taken away too many good people over time, without a doubt it is one of the diseases that has most harmed human beings.

59. When the doctor told me I had cancer, I was scared.

As every human being was afraid of being diagnosed, the fact that you are one of the most legendary players in the NBA does not have much relevance in situations as difficult as this.

60. I have always tried to stay out of the way and not be the subject of controversy.

Without a doubt, Abdul-Jabbar has always known how to behave in front of the cameras, basketball was the only thing truly relevant to him.

61. The 3-point shot has created a situation in the game similar to 'Lotto' fever.

The 3-point shot, as we all know can be very risky, the success rate on a 3-point shot drops significantly. Abdul-Jabbar even likens it in this quote to playing the lottery.

62. The '80s made up for all the abuse I received during the '70s. I survived all my critics. When I retired, everyone saw me as a venerable institution. Things change.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar managed over the course of his career to become the legend he truly was meant to be. A player that we will all always remember when we see any basketball game.

63. I'm the baddest of the bad.

Perhaps one of the most mythical phrases of this player, nothing would get ahead of him in his rise to success.

64. Okay, I'll put it this way: I doubt if we'll see another American basketball athlete who is a Rhodes Scholar.

The intellectual level of basketball players was not what it should be according to Abdul-Jabbar, for him, education was equal to or more important than basketball.

65. I totally alienated some reporters while he retired me.

He never got along with the press, he didn't like to talk about himself and much less about others.

66. Islam is about finding your own space.

Islam gave him a new way of understanding life, a way in which he could feel much closer to his ancestors.

67. Journalists used to ask me the same stupid questions year after year, from city to city, and I would go crazy.

After we've talked about something a hundred times there comes a time when we all get tired and just stop answering the same question over and over again.

68. Now there are guys declaring that they are ready to play professional basketball in their sophomore or junior year of high school. It's crazy! They are missing a lot.

Young people do not have to abandon their studies, perhaps basketball will not last forever and they must be prepared for post-sports life.

69. I am very offended by the complete lack of recognition of my contribution to the success of the Lakers.

The Lakers undoubtedly became the best thanks to his figure. If he hadn't been on that court, things could have turned out very differently.

70. I want to do as little as possible when I'm done playing basketball, just spend a lot more time with my family.

Everyone needs to spend time with their family and after having been a great elite athlete it may be the best time to enjoy their company.

71. I think I really benefited from going to college.

Going to university was an experience that this former athlete knew how to value and enjoy to the fullest. Without a doubt, it is one of the most profitable stages a person can go through.

72. Many young players don't really know much about the history of the game and many of them are losing what the game is about, especially the whole concept of sportsmanship and work on equipment.

The new athletes who were joining the NBA didn't understand the game the way he did. Basketball is not just about scoring points.

73. Young people today are told to get rich or die trying, they really shouldn't encourage that attitude in them.

Excessive ambition is the order of the day today, this is a way of thinking that can make us very unhappy over the years.

74. There are many authors in the world, so it is difficult to find a unique niche to present your opinion on things. That is always a challenge for any author.

Finding your niche in the world of writing is not an easy task, many writers spend their whole lives looking for it.

75. Music is really something that makes people whole.

Music can be emotionally very beneficial for people, a gift to anyone's life that we should all know how to value.

76. If it weren't for the success that medicine has achieved, I might be part of a very different story right now.

The great advances in medicine have allowed this player to still be alive today, in another time this would not have been remotely possible.

77. You are never truly cancer free and you should have known that.

Cancer can always come back and having that in mind can be a very negative thing for people. Being upbeat and positive is essential to our recovery.

78. He had hot flashes and sweats on a regular basis. That's not normal, even for my age.

Before being diagnosed, he already had some symptoms that made him doubt his health. We should all consult our GP regularly and let him know about any discomfort we have.

79. I have never been a person to share my private life, but I can help save lives.

This great player has always been willing to help others in any way possible, without a doubt he is an example to follow as a player and as a person.

80. I feel like I've always been a full-time historian, but nobody knows.

History is another of his great hobbies and perhaps also the most unknown, his passion for it has led him to accumulate great knowledge in this field.