Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court

by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Good intentions don’t always have good results.

the white press was busy condemning Harlemites as a bunch of thugs looking for an excuse to loot a new TV. Yeah, there was some of that. But that was like saying the Boston Tea Party was a bunch of looters after free tea. Did we really fight in the American Revolution so we could get cheaper tea?

“The goal is hard work. The reward is satisfaction that you pushed yourself to the edge physically, emotionally, and mentally. It is my firm belief that when everyone on a team works as hard as possible until they feel that glow of satisfaction in their hearts and peace of mind, that team is prepared for anything and anyone. Then winning is usually inevitable.”

we enraged some people who felt compelled to ask me what I was doing. “You’re going to play in the NBA some day and make millions! Why aren’t you more grateful? This country gave you everything! You’re gonna be richer than most white people!” I tried to be patient and explain that my own success had nothing to do with the issues, but they didn’t want to hear it.

I found it hard to align myself with the cultural institutions that had turned a blind eye to such outrageous behavior in direct violation of their most sacred beliefs.

I was stunned. If anyone knew the horrors this country had put black people through, it would be him. I had expected him to be on my side. But the more I studied with him, the more I understood that rather than sit around complaining about what the country wasn’t doing, he wanted us to work hard to help the country do what it should be doing. He talked about the many white Americans who wanted to make things better for everyone and suffered personal sacrifices to make it happen. We owed it to them to show compassion and kindness. That was the Muslim way; that was the American way.