Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Quotes

We don't have selfish guys here, which sometimes leads to problems.

More whites believe in ghosts than believe in racism.

I've always tried to stay out of the fray and not be an object of controversy.

Lakers were able to maintain a certain level of talent and success and so were the Celtics. So after awhile it became part of people's sports lore...

Kobe's an incredibly talented athlete, and there are many more like him among today's players.

When I traveled through Greece in the '90s, everything [Albert Hoxie] taught me came flooding back and I was able to appreciate the art and culture much more because of him.

The Lakers fans have been great, even folks in the supermarket are welcoming me back.

Initially when I stopped playing, I had accumulated some burnout.

The rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics endured for about eight years, and the interest grew each year.

I just like seeing the world, and it doesn't matter where.

There's a ball. There's a hoop. You put the ball through the hoop. That's success.

Ignorance is not something that lends itself to a meaningful discussion.

I think a lot of people, if they get the opportunity to do some acting, they think, 'I might be a star.'

I have to say I have an incredible musical education because of my father.

The constant expansion has diluted the talent. Other than that, it's still the same game.

I'm not going to emphasize the sky-hook as much as work with the specific skills of the guys.

Cancer is a scary thing and you have to deal with it seriously.

Music is really something that makes people whole.

Either because I was an athlete or because I was black - probably both - there seemed to be a clear assumption that I wouldn't be up to the work.

Practices were tough.

We want to show how hip-hop, which kind of fuels today's basketball stars, is directly related to jazz.

He doesn't necessarily have to learn the sky hook. He just has to learn how to be an effective post player. I think I can help him do that.

The 3-point shot has created a situation in the game akin to 'Lotto' fever.

You got guys now declaring they're ready to play pro ball in their second or third year of high school. It's crazy! They're missing so much.

The '80s made up for all the abuse I took during the '70s. I outlived all my critics. By the time I retired, everybody saw me as a venerable institution. Things do change.

There are a lot of authors in the world, so it's difficult to find a unique niche to present your take on things. That is always a challenge for any author.

During 1866 and 1922, Native Americans and black soldiers often intermingled in the American west, on the frontier.

Reporters used to ask me the same inane questions year-in and year-out, city-to-city, and it would drive me crazy.

Few players have cast a spell across the game like Yao Ming, before or since.

I needed to go to class; I needed to go to practice; I needed to have a life away from basketball.

I feel that Dennis Rodman has become a problem. He will be more of a problem than an asset. Of course, he can prove me wrong.

LeBron James can get a shot off under any and all circumstances and he makes them.

My biggest accomplishment has been making a transition from athlete to author.

I think I did very well against everyone who tried to defend me.

I think I really benefited from going to college.

Video games just can't compare with the variety and intensity of reading.

OK, I'll put it like this: I doubt if we will see another All-American basketball athlete who is a Rhodes Scholar.

I always thought I could do a good job coaching, but the opportunities have not presented themselves.

If I hadn't become a professional basketball player, I would have become a history teacher. There's so much to learn from history.

UCLA acknowledged this shift by bringing in Alex Haley (the co-author of The Autobiography of Malcolm X) and Eldridge Cleaver (Soul on Ice) as speakers.

For me, the bold jazz of John Coltrane and Miles Davis reflected the bold attitude in African-Americans finding their political identity and voice.

I've kept in touch with many of my former teammates: Bob Marcucci was our team manager and we bonded over our passion for baseball.

When the doctor told me I had cancer, I was scared.

I was getting hot flashes and sweats on a regular basis. That's not normal, even for my age.

I'm the baddest among the bad guys.

With 300 million people in America, you can fail to impress 299 million of them and still go platinum.

Justice should be blind especially color-blind and able to fairly deal with the very real need for honest law enforcement.

Your best athletes might give basketball a try just when they think, geez, this might be something that pays off for me in the end.

When a rap song glorifies violence, death and sadness and loss is inflicted because of the violence.

What I learned in my time isn't necessarily being taught now, and I'd like to help impart that knowledge to a new generation of players.