Legendary NBA center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said fellow basketball legend Michael Jordan was afraid to speak out about police violence because of his commercial interests.
When asked during a Wednesday CNN interview whether “brand considerations” may have been a major reason why Jordan previous avoided politics, Abdul-Jabbar said, “that certainly is part of it.”
“But Michael has been so successful that I think he can let go of that fear because he’s established his success and people understand that he has some things to say that might clarify things for them that enable them to make a good choice when dealing with these issues,” said Abdul-Jabbar, who is speaking at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday evening.
In an interview last year focusing on his political activism, Abdul-Jabbar said a quote often attributed to Jordan that “Republicans buy sneakers, too” shows the basketball player is “choosing commerce over conscience.”
Jordan broke his silence last week by pledging to donate to the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s newly established Institute for Community-Police Relations, and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. He said he was “saddened and frustrated by the divisive rhetoric and racial tensions that seem to be getting worse as of late.”
“We need to find solutions that ensure people of color receive fair and equal treatment AND that police officers – who put their lives on the line every day to protect us all – are respected and supported,” Jordan said.
Abdul-Jabbar said he found the announcement “very heartening,” noting Jordan’s father was the victim of “gun violence” in a fatal 1993 car-jacking.
