Even when there are adverse circumstances, I try to do my job. And I usually do. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
As brilliant an individual that Michael Jordan was, he was not successful until he got with a good team unit. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
I did a book in 1996, an overview of black history. In that process I became more aware of a lot of the black inventors of the 19th century. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
A lot of young players don’t really know much about the history of the game and a lot of them are missing out on what the game is all about, especially the whole concept of sportsmanship and teamwork. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The transition was difficult. It’s hard to stop something that you’ve enjoyed and that has been very rewarding. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
In a typical history book, black Americans are mentioned in the context of slavery or civil rights. There’s so much more to the story. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
My grandfather and my uncle both died from colorectal cancer, my dad almost died from it and I have the gene for it. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
I have been coaching recently. I coached high school basketball in Arizona, and I hope that more opportunities become available. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
It’s hard for young players to see the big picture. They just see three or four years down the road. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
I was getting hot flashes and sweats on a regular basis. That’s not normal, even for my age. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Great players are willing to give up their own personal achievement for the achievement of the group. It enhances everybody. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
I want people to understand that I intend to continue living and doing all the things that I love to do up until the end. And the end is by no means rushing up on me. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
I’m not comfortable being preachy, but more people need to start spending as much time in the library as they do on the basketball court. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
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. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
I try to do the right thing at the right time. They may just be little things, but usually they make the difference between winning and losing. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
If not for the success that medicine has made, I might be part of a much different story right now. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
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. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Fundamental preparation is always effective. Work on those parts of your game that are fundamentally weak. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
I feel that there has been progress made since I was a boy on matters of race, but we have a long way to go. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
When the line started to blur between the fans and the players, sometimes things can get ugly. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
