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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sounded off on former no.1 pick Anthony Edwards for making homophobic comments. Given Jabbar's relentless work in the field of social justice, the LA Lakers legend made a strong statement directed towards the rising star.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was recently seen using homophobic words while referring to a group of men. With the video doing rounds around the internet, several fans have taken offense to Edwards' behavior.
The youngster eventually posted an apology for his actions. Building upon this, Timberwolves president Tim Connelly also released a statement condemning Edwards' actions.
The criticism seems far from dying down. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar also joined the conversation regarding Anthony Edwards' homophobic comments.
Speaking on his substack on the matter, Jabbar said:
"It would be easy to dismiss Edwards’ immaturity—he’s only 21—if not for the fact that we’ve seen so many cases of famous athletes and owners in the news spouting racism, misogyny, and anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments.
"This damages sports in general and their teams specifically, and revives the old stereotype of the dumb, bullying jock. But more important, it perpetuates prejudice against a group and that prejudice often leads to restricting rights and to violence. I don’t think an apology—however heartfelt—is enough.
"Edwards needs to repair the damage with some voluntary community service with LGBTQ+ organizations, particularly youth groups, to show his support. If he can’t do that much to undo the harm he’s caused, then his apology is meaningless.”
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's statement almost demanded that the youngster take accountability for his actions. Considering that Edwards misused his platform and did considerable damage in the process, an apology isn't enough to make amends.
As the NBA continues to move towards a more inclusive environment, raising awareness and consistent involvement from players will be essential to the cause.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a champion of social justice
Although known largely for his exploits on the basketball court, LA Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is known to be a social activist.
Dating back to the early days of his career, Jabbar has fought for several causes. Raising a voice in the issue of vaccine mandates as recently as two seasons ago, Jabbar has taken a very active part in social causes.
For his efforts in the field of social justice, the NBA also honored the player by naming their social-cause award after the legend.
With players such as Carmelo Anthony and Reggie Bullock emerging as winners of the award over the last two seasons, the NBA will hope to see more players emerge as champions in the fight for social justice.
