Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has refused to join in the mass criticism of Hollywood star Amber Heard following her loss in a very public defamation lawsuit. In fact, the former Lakers Center has pointed out why the unified vitriol against Heard is harmful to society in general and women, in particular.

Videos, articles, and live streams in support of the Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp have flooded the internet for the past few weeks. Depp had sued his former spouse Amber Heard in a $50 million civil defamation suit, citing three counts of defamation.

Public support for Depp increased significantly after various clips, recordings and other kinds of evidence used in the publicly broadcasted trial went viral on the internet.

Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar criticizes mass vitriol against Heard

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar disagrees with the way the media and the public have antagonized Amber Heard during the trial. The Lakers No. 33 believes that this rampant reaction against Heard and the ‘me too’ movement, in general, is harmful to the progression of women in society.

According to Abdul-Jabbar, the public opinion on the trial has been a bit of an overreaction. Moreover, he also believes that the dominant narrative of the trial has been largely misleading.

The 7’2″ giant is more concerned about the perceived messaging of the trial rather than the trial itself. “The real agenda here is to diminish women, their voices, their stories—and especially their increasing power in society“, wrote Abdul-Jabbar in an opinion piece.

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Abdul-Jabbar has been one of the most progressive voices in the NBA against racial and gender inequality. The author of Giant Steps has influenced change in the country through his educated opinions on issues concerning the African-American community.

The verdict of the Depp-Heard trial

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s piece comes in the context of Amber Heard losing a $50 million lawsuit to her ex-husband, Johnny Depp. The jury voted unanimously in favor of Depp. The jury’s verdict awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory and $5 million in punitive damages.

Johnny Depp married Amber Heard in February 2015. Heard filed for divorce in 2016. She also issued a restraining order against Depp, citing intimate partner violence.

In 2018, Heard penned an op-ed in The Washington Post mentioning domestic abuse by a former partner. Even though she didn’t mention Depp by name, the piece implicated Depp as the aggressor. As a result, Depp’s career took a significant hit.

Hence, he filed a defamation suit against Heard for $50 million. On the other hand, Heard issued a counter-claim of $100 million against Depp. The jury reached their verdict after a publicly broadcasted trial spanning weeks.

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