Despite having the best resume in the NBA, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scarcely gets mentioned when we discuss the greatest basketball player of all time these days.
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The 7ft 2’ UCLA superstar who had won 3 NCAA championships came into the league in 1969 and became the next face of the NBA after Wilt Chamberlain.
Although he wasn’t as dominant as Wilt, the Bucks big man went on to have a much better career than the Warriors legend. In the 20 years he graced the hardwood with his presence, he achieved everything, including 6 Championships, 6 MVPs, and finished as NBA’s highest-ever scorer with 38,387 points.
The Lakers legend still holds the scoring record but barely gets involved in the GOAT talks. But according to Big Game James, the Skyhook legend is the #1 all-time.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is James Worthy’s GOAT
The legends of the game might say that they aren’t affected by how people perceive their career compared to how actually it was, but getting neglected from ‘the Best’ conversation despite having a resume which, if split, would make three-four Hall of Fame Players, might just be maddening.
However, when someone who has played with and against MJ and has proven himself better than ‘His Airness’ at some point in time, might bring Abdul-Jabbar some relief.
James Worthy, who won NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player over Jordan when they won the 1982 title with UNC, while talking to Richard Jefferson about Magic Johnson once said, “Kareem is the greatest player to ever play the game.”
Kareem should never be out of the GOAT conversation
The 74-year-old legend did it all back in the day. He made 19x All-Star appearances (NBA record), 11 All-Defensive teams, and 15 All-NBA teams.
He was literally a cheat code, whom nobody had an answer for in his heyday. The GOAT college athlete of all time also won scoring, blocks, and rebounding titles in the NBA.
His humility to play second fiddle to Magic all those years with Showtime also made him a true team player who never let his ego get the better of him. If Kareem Abdul-Jabbar isn’t there in a GOAT conversation, it’s invalid.
