Imago
April 22, 2017 – Los Angeles, California, U.S. – Basketball star and author Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks with Davan Maharaj, Los Angeles Times Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, not pictured, during the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at the USC campus on Saturday, April 22, 2017 in Los Angeles, Calif. © 2017 Patrick T. Fallon Los Angeles U.S. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY – ZUMAf72_ 20170422_zaf_f72_010 Copyright: xPatrickxFallonx
Imago
April 22, 2017 – Los Angeles, California, U.S. – Basketball star and author Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks with Davan Maharaj, Los Angeles Times Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, not pictured, during the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at the USC campus on Saturday, April 22, 2017 in Los Angeles, Calif. © 2017 Patrick T. Fallon Los Angeles U.S. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY – ZUMAf72_ 20170422_zaf_f72_010 Copyright: xPatrickxFallonx
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has always been vocal about issues plaguing the Black community in America. The Los Angeles Lakers legend has been one of the trail blazers of social justice advocacy in the NBA community. Taking a break from talking about the pressing issues in his community, Kareem recently reviewed a powerful movie celebrating Black excellence.
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There is no doubt that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has built an incredible legacy in the sports world. Following his exit from the league, he decided to hang up his basketball jersey and take on the world with his strong views.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar reviews ‘Sweetwater’
The 2023 sports film ‘Sweetwater’ is based on the life and basketball career of Nathaniel Clifton. Widely known as “Sweetwater”, Clifton was the first African-American athlete to sign a contract with the NBA. Having watched the film, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had quite a few things to say about it in his latest Substack piece.
Reuters
Retired basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks as Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (L) stands by at a news conference outside City Hall, after National Basketball Association Commissioner Adam Silver made an announcement regarding Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, in Los Angeles, California, April 29, 2014. REUTERS/David McNew (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT POLITICS) – RTR3N57Q
The 75-year-old basketball veteran commended director Martin Guigui for beautifully portraying Clifton’s life and career as a Black athlete back in the 50s. He said, “It’s always both infuriating and inspiring to witness the struggles of Black athletes like Sweetwater and Jackie Robinson, but when done with the right amount of integrity and intelligence, the audience will be rewarded. And Sweetwater rewards the audience big time.”
Furthermore, the 19x All-Star complimented the star cast of the movie for doing absolute justice to their roles and performing them with ‘passion and intensity’. He concluded by writing, “I love how they were able to capture the fundamentals of how basketball was played in the 1950s. And I love how how, in a time when so many are trying to suppress and erase Black History, Sweetwater celebrates it.”
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been vocal about popular discourse trying to revise and rewrite history, suppressing or erasing stories of Black excellence. Sweetwater is a breath of fresh air amid such attempts, according to the six-time NBA MVP.
Who was Nat Clifton?
Sweetwater was not just known for being an NBA star but also for his endless contributions to contemporary society. He was selected by the New York Rens in 1945 before moving on to the Harlem Globetrotters two years later. He eventually retired from the league after playing for 16 years. Clifton was eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014. His character in the recent film is portrayed by actor Everett Osborne.
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Have you watched the movie yet? If yes, let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!