Despite Heavy Criticism, Lakers HOFer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Supports Will Smith on His Journey to Redemption: “Smith’s Slap Had Consequences on Many People..”

Published 07/31/2022, 1:00 AM EDT

NBA legend and Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has always been vocal about social and societal issues even before he joined the NBA. After retiring, he still uses his platform to speak about various issues in the world.

When Hollywood superstar Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock during the Oscars, Abdul-Jabbar wrote a scathing article about the whole incident and condemned Smith’s actions. He felt that Smith’s actions made the implication that Jada Pinkett Smith wasn’t capable of speaking for herself. And he was worried about the stereotypes.

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Now, after a few months, Will Smith has released a video apology. And the Los Angeles Lakers legend has given his opinion on the matter. While there has been criticism about the timing of the video, Abdul-Jabbar said that he is going to accept the actor’s words are sincere. He also said that Will Smith will have his support even if the world won’t.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is rooting for Will Smith

Abdul-Jabbar spoke about his stern article about Smith after the slap. He said that he wrote that article even after knowing Smith and knowing he is a gracious person. He said that skeptics would question Smith’s late apology and might say that he’s acting.

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He also said that the world might not be supporting Smith anymore. Abdul-Jabbar said, “I, however, am rooting for him.”

He continued, “We all live under the desperate hope that our past mistakes can be forgiven. Smith’s slap had consequences on many people around the world, but none that require perpetual punishment and endless finger-wagging. We all have shortcomings, celebrity merely amplifies them to the world. Every misstep is an opportunity for growth and it appears that Smith is embracing that opportunity. We should do our part and support him. It’s what we would hope for ourselves from others.”

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The four-time NBA champion’s support for Smith might come as a shock to a lot of people. Especially after his hard-hitting write-up about the actor after the incident.

What do you think about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s response? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Bagavathi Eswaran is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He has been playing the game of basketball for more than 20 years now and has also been following the NBA for more than 10 years. After not being able to go pro, this former college player decided to join the IT industry.

Edited by:

Veer Badani

Despite Heavy Criticism, Lakers HOFer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Supports Will Smith on His Journey to Redemption: “Smith’s Slap Had Consequences on Many People..”

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is rooting for Will Smith

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