Abdul-Jabbar praises LeBron's 'extraordinary' legacy

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar praises LeBron James's 'extraordinary' legacy

By Blake Harper | Last updated 10/13/20

LeBron James brought championship basketball back to Los Angeles, and he earned some high praise from an all-time Lakers legend for his efforts. Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar appeared on "First Take" and spoke about LeBron's legacy, both on and off the court.

"If [basketball] is his only legacy, it's extraordinary," Abdul-Jabbar said. "But he's done a lot more than that, both on the court and off the court. That's why I have a lot of respect for him. The way that he's involved politically and socially, sending all those kids to school. He's an amazing individual."

Abdul-Jabbar knows what he is talking about when it comes to having an off-court legacy as strong as your on-court play. He has been a longtime activist, along with having a prolific career as an actor and author following his playing days.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on LeBron's legacy:

"If [basketball] is his only legacy, it's extraordinary. But he's done a lot more than that, both on the court and off the court. ... He's an amazing individual." pic.twitter.com/UNOLo6f9w5
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 13, 2020

Abdul-Jabbar is absolutely right that LeBron is paving a similar path. James has used his massive platform to help fight for social justice and founded a school in his hometown of Akron. And while, similarly to Adbul-Jabar, his acting career is not nearly as significant as his philanthropy, LeBron was a scene-stealer in "Trainwreck" and is set to star in the highly-anticipated "Space Jam" sequel.

Of course, let's not forget about what James is doing on the court after winning his fourth NBA title and fourth NBA Finals MVP with his third NBA team at the age of 35 while averaging a triple-double. When he finally retires, he will join Abdul-Jabbar at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

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