areem Abdul Jabbar in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks. The morning after the trade I was awakened by a radio announcer with "Wake up everybody and put some Kareem in your coffee!" They then got Magic Johnson in the 1979 draft and a dynasty was born. The first game of the season was against the San Diego Clippers and was on tape delay. In other words the game was broadcast after the news and other programming had played out. These were the days before basketball had multi-million dollar network contracts. The game was a tight one and was won by Kareem with a sky-hook in the final seconds.Magic leaped into Kareem's arms as if they had won the world championship. Kareem looked at Magic as if he wanted to say, "Long season rookie; relax!"
Kareem is getting his statue at Staples Center this season. I don't think it's overdue but just in time. After all, I don't believe anybody doesn't believe that Jerry West, the mastermind of the 80's dynasty, and Magic Johnson, the general of Showtime, shouldn't have statues at the Staples Center. I am sure that the Lakers had every intention of statuing Kareem. Nobody doubts that Kareem is the greatest center of all-time, especially the Lakers. No slight was intended. Sometimes Kareem can come off as aloof or distant and some may interpret that to not caring. I think the big fella is a little shy and maybe passive aggressive.
Kareem will always be part of the Laker family. I think it is up to him to let the Lakers know what role he would like to play. After all, he was the greatest....................
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