Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wants A Statue, Damn It

Perhaps emboldened by Bill Russell and Jerry West finally receiving well-deserved statues, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is clamoring for an unmerited one of his own.

"I don't understand. It's either an oversight or they're taking me for granted. I'm not going to try to read people's minds, but it doesn't make me happy. It's definitely a slight. I feel slighted."

He should feel slighted, if failing to deify the epitome of a soft volume scorer who was never the best player on his own team in larger-than-life bronze is some kind of slight, rather than an accurate reckoning of his legacy. Let's face it: one day they're going to put a statue of Kobe up, and there won't be much outcry for one of Pau Gasol.

Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Chick Hearn, Oscar De La Hoya and Wayne Gretzky all have statues outside the Staples Center, and in Kareem's defense, what the fuck are De La Hoya and Gretzky doing there? But we just can't go around immortalizing every six-time champ and six-time MVP, even if they do start trying hard when the playoffs come around.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar feels 'slighted' without statue at Staples Center [The Sporting News]