new york — The NBA today announced the creation of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award. This is a new annual honor recognizing current NBA players who pursue social justice and uphold the league’s decades-old values of equality, respect and inclusion.
The award is named after six-time NBA champion and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Winners of the award will further Abdul-Jabbar’s mission to drive change throughout the past year, inspiring others to reflect on injustice and take collective action in their communities.
The recipient of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion honor will select an organization to receive a $100,000 donation on his behalf. His four remaining finalists will each select an organization to receive a $25,000 donation.
“I am honored and grateful to be associated with this award, which recognizes dedicated and selfless people who strive to advance social justice for all marginalized people.” Abdul-Jabbar he said. “To me, this is a huge step in the right direction for our country and all people who value equality.”
“In addition to being one of our greatest players, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has dedicated much of his life to championing equality and social justice,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “With this new award, we are proud to recognize and celebrate NBA players who are using their influence to impact their communities and our broader society.”
All 30 NBA teams will designate one player from their roster as the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion. Finalists and winners will be selected by a committee comprised of NBA legends, league executives, and social justice leaders.
Abdul-Jabbar has been a champion of inclusivity from a young age. At age 17, he met Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Abdul-Jabbar’s hometown of Harlem, New York. Inspired by Dr. King’s message, Abdul-Jabbar decided to use his visible influence as an athlete to address critical social issues during the civil rights movement. . He attended the 1967 Cleveland Summit, where Bill Russell, Jim Brown, and other prominent black athletes gathered to discuss Muhammad Ali’s refusal to serve in the Vietnam War. Abdul-Jabbar has been promoting equality and fighting discrimination for decades since retiring from basketball. In 2016, former President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor. In 2009, Abdul Jabbar founded his Skyhook Foundation, which aims to provide STEM education opportunities to underserved communities.
One of the greatest players in NBA history, Abdul-Jabbar won regular season MVP awards (six), All-Star Game selections (19) and career points (38,387) during the 20 NBA seasons he played in Los Angeles. He holds the league record for. Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks. Abdul-Jabbar entered the NBA in the 1969-70 season after leading UCLA to three consecutive national championships.
Details regarding the inaugural awards, including finalists and winners, will be announced during the postseason.