This isn’t a former player in need of money.
This is a former player looking to use his money for good.
Hall of Famer and player often overlooked in the GOAT conversation, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is auctioning off some of his legendary memorabilia — four championship rings from his time with the Lakers, game-used All-Star jerseys, and more. Abdul-Jabbar has partnered with Goldin Auctions, but said this is not about him, it’s about helping his foundation. From the blog on his website:
My sports memorabilia also have a history. My history. My life. And, oddly, since my life is still happening and ever-evolving, I am less personally attached to those items than I am to my desire to create new history for myself—and futures for others. Much of the proceeds from my auction will go to support my charity, the Skyhook Foundation, whose mission is to “give kids a shot that can’t be blocked.” We do this by sending children from economically challenged schools to five days in the Angeles National Forest to experience the wonders of nature and learn the basics about science, technology, and engineering....
So, when it comes to choosing between storing a championship ring or trophy in a room, or providing kids with an opportunity to change their lives, the choice is pretty simple. Sell it all. Looking back on what I have done with my life, instead of gazing at the sparkle of jewels or gold plating celebrating something I did a long time ago, I’d rather look into the delighted face of a child holding their first caterpillar and think about what I might be doing for their future. That’s a history that has no price.
Abdul-Jabbar emphasized that he is on solid financial footing and not doing his because he personally needs the money.
There is memorabilia stretching back to then Lew Alcindor’s high school days in New York (where he was a phenom) through an autographed ball that he scored his final NBA points with (the still-standing an NBA-record of 38,387).
