For his greatness on the court and societal contributions once his playing days ended, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was recognized with the nation’s highest civilian honor on Tuesday, as President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“The reason we honor Kareem is more than just a pair of goggles and the skyhook,” Obama said at the White House ceremony. “He stood up for his Muslim faith when it wasn’t easy and wasn’t popular. He’s as comfortable sparring with Bruce Lee as he is advocating on Capitol Hill or writing with extraordinary eloquence on patriotism.”
Prior to his NBA career, Abdul-Jabbar led UCLA to three consecutive national championships from 1967-69.