LOS ANGELES, 8 September 2005 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, was hired Tuesday by the team as an assistant coach.
“We are pleased to welcome Kareem back to the organization,” Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak told a Los Angeles news conference. “Kareem was one of the best centers to ever play the game.
“His skills and talent on the court were truly remarkable and we look forward to having Kareem help our big men develop those skills and tutor them on what it takes to be a successful player in this league.”
The 58-year-old Abdul-Jabbar, a longtime Los Angeles sports hero who starred for UCLA under the name Lew Alcindor, spent 20 years in the NBA, 14 of them for the Lakers.
“It’s been a long time and a whole lot has happened, and it’s really a pleasure and a great opportunity for me to be back with the Lakers and be given this opportunity to help them get back on the winning track,” said Abdul-Jabbar, a six-time NBA Most Valuable Player.
“I’ve gotten calls from all over the country and when I’ve been out and about here in town, Laker fans will stop and say, ‘Hey Kareem, it’s great that you’re back, good luck,’” he said.
“All that good will has really brought me up and made me feel even happier that this has happened.”
Considered one of the NBA’s greatest centers, the 7-foot-2 Abdul-Jabbar said he looked forward to working with Lakers 17-year-old draft pick Andrew Bynum — who has pledged to bring back his mentor’s patented sky-hook.
“That’s when my hopes went up because I know that I can help him do that,” Abdul-Jabbar said.
“He’ll be a good student and I’m sure that the Lakers will be happy with the progress he makes.”
Meantime, Houston Rockets star Yao Ming has topped Forbes Magazine’s list of Chinese celebrities for the second year running.
Yao, who last week signed a new five-year contract worth more than $75 million, was judged on a combination of income, media exposure and endorsement deals with major international companies, the magazine’s Chinese version reported on its Web site.
The 2.29-meter (7-foot-6) center, who turns 25 this month, is a three-time NBA All-Star and was the No. 1 draft pick in 2002. He has one year left on his rookie contract, which will pay him more than $5.5 million next season.
