Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is finally getting a statue outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
In a move that, to some, is long overdue, former Lakers star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is finally going to get what he feels he’s always deserved. A statue of Abdul-Jabbar will be unveiled outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles during this upcoming 2012-13 NBA season.
Last year the NBA’s all-time leading scorer made headlines when he blasted his former team for not showing him what he felt was proper honor. Abdul-Jabbar blasted Lakers officials for failing to recognize his years of service, championships and good times with anything more than just a pat on the back, and it’s because of that reason that some fans are questioning the motives behind this decision.
Some believe that this is a decision that the Lakers are making all on their own, but most may see this as almost a hostage situation, with Abdul-Jabbar threatening to cut ties with the Lakers if his demands aren’t met. It certainly seemed like a situation that could go bad when Abdul-Jabbar ranted last season, but to think he would abandon the Lakers is almost as asinine as whining about not having a bronze statue of yourself outside a sports arena.
Whatever the motives are — if they’re good natured or forced — one of the NBA’s all-time greats is getting further recognition that he’s a legend. Abdul-Jabbar was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame back in 2007 but he wanted to be honored not only by the league but by his team. The facts are out there, and it’s now up to the fans to decide whether Abdul-Jabbar crossed the line by demanding a statue or if the Lakers were at fault for failing to recognize a God of their lore until now.
