Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: UCLA honors just keep coming

UCLA will honor basketball legend Kareem Abdul- Jabbar at Saturday’s game against Arizona at Pauley Pavilion after he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian accolade.

Abdul-Jabbar will address the crowd at halftime. A private reception will be held before the game, with his teammates and members of the family of the late Bruins coach John Wooden set to attend.

Abdul-Jabbar was among 21 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony Nov. 22, with then-President Barack Obama calling him “the sport’s most unstoppable force.”

Abdul-Jabbar received the honor not just for his basketball accomplishments, Obama said.

“The reason we honor Kareem is more than just a pair of goggles and the skyhook,” Obama said. “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.”

—City News Service