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NBA Stat: Alperen Sengun ties Kareem for the 10th most 10-AST games by a center in NBA history. He’s only 23 years old… (vi RealSports) #NBA
NBA Stat: LeBron James (30 points) surpassed 1,000 points for the season, his NBA-record 23rd time attaining that milestone. At 41 years and 78 days old, he’s the oldest player in NBA history to reach that mark, eclipsing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (40 years, 352 days). (via @statcenter.bsky.social ) #NBA
Pat Riley has often considered you to be the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) because of your dominant play and longevity. What does that mean to you? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: “It means a great deal to me. I took pride in caring for my body and sustaining a level of play that allowed me to compete for twenty years. Pat always respected my work ethic, my commitment to the team, and the fact that every time I stepped on the court, I aimed to be the very best version of myself.”
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Riley was very vocally supportive about you to both the media and to the team in 1983 amid speculation on whether the Lakers’ management and even some players eventually wanted you traded. What did Riley’s support for you at that time mean to you? Abdul-Jabbar: “Pat’s support meant a great deal to me. At that point in my career, I understood my value and knew I wasn’t someone who could be easily replaced. But having your head coach stand up for you, publicly and privately, carries a different kind of weight. His belief in me, especially during a moment of speculation and uncertainty, reaffirmed the trust and respect we had built over the years.”
What was your reaction when you heard that the Lakers will honor Pat Riley with a statue? Abdul-Jabbar: “I was genuinely pleased. It felt long overdue, and I couldn’t think of a more fitting tribute. Coach Riley played a pivotal role in our championship success—his leadership, vision, and unwavering commitment were instrumental to everything we achieved. We had great players on our team, but all with different personalities. And the hardest part of coaching is getting players to make a consistent effort. So I have great admiration for Pat’s ability, which led our team to five championships.”
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Perhaps inspired by listening to Naismith Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar deliver a talk the night before, VJ Edgecombe took the game seriously Friday and won MVP for Vince Carter's team at Intuit Dome. He clinched the final with two free throws to get his team to the target score of 25, edging out Carmelo Anthony's team. Earlier in the semifinal game, Edgecombe scored the final 10 points to help defeat the team selected by Tracy McGrady, finishing with 17 of his team's 41 points. Edgecombe was all smiles afterward, but he was serious with his approach. "[Vince] told us, 'Why not just play hard?' Earlier today, after practice we all decided, man, we're just going to compete," Edgecombe said. "Vince, he just wanted me to be aggressive."
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 78, retired over 15 years before Edgecombe was born but he connected with the players Thursday night, talking about his personal journey to the NBA, his experiences with unlikely figures like Bruce Lee and, more directly to the players, how they can use the league to enrich themselves and build their own brands if they invest in things like All-Star Weekend. Edgecombe took the talk to heart and appreciated Abdul-Jabbar taking the time to reach back to today's players. Abdul-Jabbar said, "I don't know all your names, but I love your games." Clearly, it struck a chord. "Man, it felt like a dream," Edgecombe said earlier in the day. "Just because he's someone of such status. He's in a place, a tier of his own -- him, [Michael] Jordan, the GOATs of basketball.
Ivica Zubac: So I’m in the gym and Bill Bertka comes in. He says, “Come to the court, Kareem’s waiting for you.” I’m like, waiting for who? “Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is on the court, he’s not gonna wait forever.” “Let’s go.” So I walk out and Kareem’s standing there. He says, “I heard you can shoot the skyhook, show me.” Now I’m nervous, it’s Kareem! I shoot it… He invented the move. I take a few shots and he’s like, “Yeah… that looks good.” And then he starts showing me, he’s been shooting it for 70 years. At his age he’s still shooting skyhooks. His footwork is unbelievable. I don’t know, he makes everything. Baseline turnarounds, skyhooks, all net. So we did a few workouts together. Q. Was he nice to you? Zubac: He was great to me. I remember he looked at Bynum weird. There are a lot of stories about him not being the friendliest guy. He even admitted that, he said he used to be like that and that he’s tried to change. But he told me he wanted to mentor me. He was working with the Lakers then. He had some meeting… Q. with the front office? Zubac: I don’t know what happened, but it never materialized in the end. Rob Pelinka was involved too. He wanted an official role with the team, to work with me and the big men, but it never ended up happening. Unfortunately, that was it with Kareem. But we did have a few workouts, and then he came to one game to watch me.
He’s fully aware that he’s playing for one of the most storied franchises in sports history, a 17-time championship team which has been the home of some of the league’s biggest names, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, James — and now him. “It’s a big opportunity for me,” Doncic said. “I feel great where I am. The team is good. I feel like I’m myself, personally. I feel great here. I like living in LA. I love the fans. So, I’m really in a good spot right now.”
