Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 10 quotes on his birthday

1. No ‘i’ in team

“One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team.”

2. Hit the books

“I’m not comfortable being preachy, but more people need to start spending as much time in the library as they do on the basketball court.”

3. Attention to detail

“I try to do the right thing at the right time. They may just be little things, but usually they make the difference between winning and losing.”

4. A key difference

“I think that the good and the great are only separated by the willingness to sacrifice.”

5. A matter of faith

“My choosing Islam was not a political statement; it was a spiritual statement.“

6. Too great expectations

“I think black Americans expect too much from individual black Americans in terms of changing the status quo.”

7. Reluctant celebrity

“I didn’t really seek attention. I just wanted to play the game well and go home.”

8. Point of focus

“Fundamental preparation is always effective. Work on those parts of your game that are fundamentally weak.”

9. Loyal to his country

“I felt that a number of people might have questioned my loyalty, but I continue to be a patriotic American.”

10. Alternative goal

“”I tell kids to pursue their basketball dreams, but I tell them to not let that be their only dream.”

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