"I maintained that attitude for way too long" - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar admits he regrets not showing a friendlier personality during his basketball career

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"I maintained that attitude for way too long" - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar admits he regrets not showing a friendlier personality during his basketball career originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar remained, for the most part of his Hall of Fame career, an enigma.
Dominant on the court but distant off it, his stoic demeanor and deliberate detachment from the media carved out a misunderstood figure who often appeared aloof in the public eye.
Now, in hindsight, he has voiced what many long suspected: that he regrets the emotional wall he built during his time in the league.
Lessons that lingered too long
Before Abdul-Jabbar became a name in NBA legendary history, he was Lew Alcindor, the towering centerpiece of John Wooden's dynastic UCLA Bruins.
Under Wooden, the team was molded into champions with a discipline that emphasized humility, structure and media silence. Wooden discouraged his players from seeking attention and actively coached them to avoid it.
The message was clear, the press was a distraction, a nuisance and not to be trusted. This mindset, built into the team culture at UCLA, stuck with Abdul-Jabbar far beyond his college years. As he transitioned into the NBA, that suspicion hardened into routine.
"It made me suspicious and cautious with the media, and I maintained that attitude for way too long," Abdul-Jabbar said, acknowledging the ripple effect it had on his public persona. "Those are people you deal with when you are a professional athlete and if you don't do it, then it's bad for you, it's bad for your spot."
Few athletes have achieved what Abdul-Jabbar accomplished in terms of accolades and influence. Six championships, six MVP awards and the all-time leading scorer title for nearly four decades speak to a career of unmatched consistency and cerebral dominance. Yet while his statistics soared, his public image often stood in stark contrast to his brilliance.
It wasn't that he didn't have something to say — he was always one of the game's most thoughtful minds — but that he rarely offered access to the media or fans. That wall wasn't entirely of his own design.
His initial wariness wasn't unfounded. As a young Black Muslim athlete in a tumultuous era marked by civil rights clashes, political assassinations and cultural upheaval, Abdul-Jabbar bore a unique weight. Changing his name shortly after joining the Milwaukee Bucks in 1969 invited skepticism and criticism from press outlets unfamiliar or uncomfortable with his transformation.
His refusal to participate in the 1968 Olympics due to racial injustice only cemented his position as an athlete willing to stand on principle, even if it meant standing alone. That principled solitude, however, came at a price.
He often seemed remote to fans and uncooperative to journalists, which shaped a narrative that stuck for years.Kareem's legacy outgrew the silence
Despite the cold veneer, Abdul-Jabbar never stopped growing.
As his playing days wound down and retirement ushered in a slower pace, he began to reveal more of himself. Essays, books, social commentary and speaking engagements brought forth the intelligence and compassion that had long been obscured by caution and restraint.
Still, the regret lingered over the cost of staying guarded for so long.
The cultural shift around athletes and media relationships has made his reflections even more poignant. In today's NBA, players are expected to manage their own brands, embrace social media and speak out on issues beyond basketball.
Abdul-Jabbar helped blaze that trail, but he now sees how his approach may have limited connection when connection mattered most.
In recent years, he's been more open, humorous and visible. He's appeared in documentaries, spoken out on political issues with clarity and calm, and even found a late-career rhythm as a writer — you can check out his Substack too! — and social critic.
The distance that once defined him now feels bridged by his willingness to revisit the past with vulnerability.This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 24, 2025, where it first appeared.