"There are good people and thieves"- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gets real about his thoughts on NBA media

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Throughout his legendary career, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had been no stranger to the spotlight. As one of the greatest players of all time, KAJ experienced both the highs and lows of fame. However, it was his interactions with the media that sometimes left a bitter taste in his mouth. However, over time, Abdul-Jabbar realized that not all NBA media people were biased and rude.

As Kareem reflected on it, he concluded that there were media circles that worked diligently to share honest and respectful stories about players. The more Abdul-Jabbar let them get a scoop out of him, the more he identified who was good and who was bad.

“Well, let me say this: It doesn’t bother me anymore. I can handle it,” Abdul-Jabbar told Harvard Business Review about NBA media criticisms. “A lot of the people in the media are good people, and by being more accessible, you get to find that out. It’s just like being in any marketplace. There are good people and thieves. And you’ve got to have the judgment to understand which is which and adjust.”

Kareem was shy, but he didn’t hate the media

Right from the get-go, Abdul-Jabbar already had a mindset that differed from many celebrated NBA superstars. In a world and era where everybody yearned for clout and limelight, the Los Angeles Lakers center stood out by prioritizing his role as a player. Nothing more, nothing less.

Abdul-Jabbar’s humble approach to his career serves as an inspiration to many aspiring athletes, but inevitably, it struck some in the NBA media as arrogant. As it turned out, what most people didn’t realize was that Kareem was just innately shy and introverted.

Admittedly, it took “Cap” a long time to finally get the better of his “shyness.” Stating the obvious, the process wasn’t easy as one could only imagine how difficult it was for a multi-time champion and perennial All-Star to always appear pleasing to the public. Eventually, Kareem was able to get over that hump, and he was glad to see how it resulted in positive things later in his career and even to this day.

“Well, it had a negative effect on how I was portrayed. But I had no one to explain the value of public relations to me. When I was in college, there was such an intense demand from the press that John Wooden said they couldn’t talk to me at all. So that was what I took for normal going into the NBA. Being at the top of my game and working as hard as I could for the people who employed me—that was my primary focus, and everything else was secondary,” the six-time NBA champion revealed.

“So, I didn’t always respond to social situations in a pleasant way. When it came to talking to people, I was kind of reserved. But shyness is something you have to overcome. Later in my career, I started doing a lot better relating to fans and talking to the media. I think that’s continued to improve in my retirement,” he continued.

Kareem’s bad rap hurt his GOAT status

In retrospect, Kareem faced challenges with his public image due to the negative portrayal by the NBA media. As a result, even some of his fellow basketball stars felt that despite his remarkable achievements and contributions to the sport, the media’s depiction of Abdul-Jabbar hurt his GOAT status. It’s the same sentiment New York Knicks legend Earl Monroe once shared.

For “The Pearl,” Kareem has established himself as a legitimate GOAT candidate by consistently breaking records and setting new standards in the NBA. However, the media often focused more on his reserved demeanor and perceived aloofness, rather than his legacy and incredible athletic abilities.

“I don’t really understand it,” Monroe once said of Abdul-Jabbar often being snubbed in GOAT talks. “He’s one of the best players to ever play the game…Kareem, no matter what, the players know the who’s who. Sportswriters, they write certain things, and when you think of Kareem, you think about his legacy. Early on, people didn’t like Kareem. Sportswriters felt that he was arrogant, and so forth and so on.”

No media personality could ever deny Kareem’s greatness

While Kareem struggled to polish his public image by not befriending the most notable NBA media personalities during his time, it’s safe to conclude that his impact on and off the court transcends any words written or said about him as a player and person.

Indeed, the media plays an important role in the NBA, and some fans always believe them. However, one thing we can all be sure of is that there’s nothing the sportswriters and analysts could do to change the fact that Abdul-Jabbar dominated his era, won multiple championships and individual accolades, became an influential figure in the sport, and will always be remembered as one of the greatest athletes in history.