Cap's Corner - 2/23/11

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2011-02-23 17:45
Cap's Corner by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar


You were in so many All-Star games that they almost had to name the game after you. Thinking back to that time, what was the primary thing you took out of being named to the team year after year?

KAJ: I felt very honored by being named to the All-Star team year after year. It was an acknowledgement of my talent and consistency on the court.

Was it important to you to be recognized by the fans and coaches? Did it mean as much at the end of your career as it did at the beginning?

KAJ: I was honored every time I was picked for the All-Star game no matter if it was at the beginning or end of my career. Making the All-Star team is an achievement that only the upper echelon of NBA players achieve.

In the NHL season, captains selected the two teams. Do you think that could ever work in the NBA as it may have while you were growing up playing on the neighborhood hard courts? Who would be your first pick this season?

KAJ: I don't think the players are aware of what is going on with the other players during the whole season. The All-Star team should be chosen by a collection of people who get to see the whole range of players in action.

What is the best All-Star team of all-time? Were you on it?

KAJ: I couldn't possibly pick the best All-Star team of all-time because I haven't seen all of the players on the court that would be eligible for consideration. Also it is impossible for me to remember the composition of the 18 All-Star teams for which I was chosen. I think that the teams of the late 50's and early 60's were probably the best.

Was the best team you were ever a part of an All-Star team or another team? What was the best team that you ever played a part of?

KAJ: I think the All-Star team for the West in 1971 was the best team I played on in the NBA. In college the UCLA Bruins were tops.

What would be the best all-time team in NBA history, while we're on the topic?

KAJ: I couldn't pick the best NBA team in history. It's too big a job! One reason I produced the documentary OSG that I just released is to honor a team, the Harlem Rens that never got the recognition it deserved. The players on that team were also denied recognition in any meaningful way because of the racial discrimination that was accepted in sports in America at that time.

What kinds of players do best in All-Star games? How much of it has to do with skill, effort, and seniority as opposed to actually trying to win a game?

KAJ: Players with a versatile style do well in All-Star games. The game should test offensive and defensive skills and thus allow the players to show their value at either end of the court.