The Golden State Warriors might have crashed out of the Playoffs in the 2nd round, but Stephen Curry keeps winning. Earlier today, he was announced as the 2022-23 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion. The NBA recognized Steph for his contributions across the board and announced him as the Champion. Ahead of Game 4 between the Heat and Celtics, the TNT crew got Steph on a video conference and played out Kareem Abdul-Jabbar‘s message for him.
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Having won the award named after the Cap, it was only fair that the Cap delivered a message to the winner. Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, and Kenny Smith took Steph on a call and showed him the video. Here’s how he reacted to the same.
Stephen Curry calls Kareem’s message ‘the ultimate honor’
Stephen Curry has overcome adversity several times over the course of his NBA career. Whether personal injuries, team problems, or personnel issues, Curry stood tall and faced it all. In doing so, he became of the best basketball players of all time, and was rewarded accordingly.
Using the wealth he amassed, Steph remembered the values his mother gave him and made it a practice to give back to the community. He not only does that but also fights for Social Justice. In the video, we can hear Kareem congratulate Steph. He complimented Steph for his contributions to HBCUs, his border registration program, and his community safety program.
When Ernie asked Steph what was his first reaction after hearing the message. Curry said,
“It’s the ultimate honor, with the award being named after him and his life’s work, that he’s still continuing to add to… To hear that from him, in first person, is pretty special. Gives me more inspiration to keep going on, and hopefully, my life’s work is just getting started.”
Steph received a special message after being named the 2022-23 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion 👏 pic.twitter.com/02AmYXGbMq
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 24, 2023
It’s great to see Steph give back to communities and fight for social justice. He doesn’t only believe in doing so himself but has made it a family practice along with his wife, Ayesha Curry. They both are trying to teach their children to follow the same path of giving back to the community.
Kareem recently joked about slapping Steph
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, aka, the Cap, is one of the best players the game has ever seen. A 6x NBA Champion, Jabbar knew how to win, and had an unmatched ability to score. For over 39 years, he held the NBA’s scoring record, till LeBron James broke it earlier this year.
When he was at a high school in Oakland in March, he was asked about advice on his iconic shot, the skyhook. Kareem replied and said,
“They’ve forgotten about anything that doesn’t say three-points on it. I’ve got to go across the Bay and slap Steph Curry for him changing everyone’s mind about how to play the game.”
He was just kidding, but it’s insane to think how much the game has changed in the last 10 years, and the huge amount of contribution Curry has had to the same.
