Getty Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
Everything LeBron James does is looked at under a microscope. That’s part of the territory that comes with being in the conversation for the title of greatest basketball player of all time. The Los Angeles Lakers star was recently fined $15,000 for doing the “big balls” dance made famous by Sam Cassell during a recent game against the Indiana Pacers.
While he did the dance in good fun, not everybody was pleased with the display from LeBron. Lakers legend and Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ripped him and questioned his maturity.
“For me, winning is enough,” Abdul-Jabbar said on his Substack. “Why do you need to do a stupid, childish dance and disrespect the other team on the court? It doesn’t make sense. GOATs don’t dance.”
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on LeBron’s big balls dance:
“Why do you need to do a stupid, childish dance? It doesn’t make sense…..GOATs don’t dance.”
Abdul-Jabbar is one of only three players who are frequently in the GOAT conversation, along with LeBron and Michael Jordan. He’s an authority on the subject so his words carry weight. LeBron’s decision to do the “childish” dance was likely born of frustration. He’s missed as many games as he’s played this season and was suspended for the first time in his career. He let that frustration out in a way that Abdul-Jabbar didn’t appreciate. Does it disqualify LeBron from the GOAT conversation? No, but perhaps he should take the advice of the Lakers legend.
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Skip Bayless Uses Kareem Comments to Blast LeBron
Abdul-Jabbar gave a lot of ammo to LeBron’s biggest detractors with his above comments. Fox Sports’ Skip Bayless couldn’t resist temptation and believes that LeBron can’t even be considered a “Laker for life” because of what Abdul-Jabbar had to say.
“I’m completely and utterly shocked by this, and I think you are missing the bigger point of this,” Bayless said. “Kareem is sending a message that LeBron isn’t one of ‘us.’ He’s disqualifying him from the GOAT, but he is also disqualifying him from being a Laker for life, like a legend. Because this is about Kareem, and Magic, and James Worthy, and Byron Scott, and Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. Those are Lakers for life.”
Bayless was surprised that Abdul-Jabbar would go after another Laker so bluntly.
“Usually Laker legends protect their own,” he added. “They’re all for one and one for all. To break out of that mode and take this kind of a public shot at LeBron was completely shocking to me.”
.@RealSkipBayless on Kareem calling out LeBron for his celebration:
“I’m completely and utterly shocked. Kareem is sending a message that LeBron isn’t one of “us.” He’s disqualifying him from being a Laker for life. Usually Laker legends protect their own.”
Not the First Time Kareem Has Gone After LeBron
Abdul-Jabbar has always been a supporter of what LeBron has done on and off the court. However, he’s been more critical of the star in recent months. Back in October, he went after LeBron for his stance on the COVID-19 fact. The Lakers star is vaccinated but he’s chosen to keep the decision mostly to himself.
Similar to LeBron, Abdul-Jabbar has always been outspoken about political matters. Typically, the two see eye-to-eye on most things but it’s clear that they have some strong disagreements. That doesn’t necessarily mean that either isn’t a “Laker for life.”
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Lakers Legend Rips LeBron Over Recent Antics: ‘It Doesn’t Make Sense’