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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was an elite scorer during his basketball career at UCLA and in the NBA.</p><p>But since his retirement in 1989 his focus has shifted to writing, talking about race relations and supporting STEM education.</p><p>The former Milwaukee and Los Angeles Lakers star spoke at Wilkes University&#8217;s McHale Athletic Center in the University Center on Main for the annual Max Rosenn Lecture in Law and Humanities on Sunday.</p><p>His 50-minute lecture, titled &#8220;Becoming Kareem,&#8221; was moderated by Wilkes University president Patrick F. Leahy. It dove into a wide-range of topics from Abdul-Jabbar&#8217;s time at UCLA, his relationship with legendary coach John Wooden, political activism in sports and the benefits of a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education.</p><p>&#8220;It was great to see one of the greatest basketball players ever,&#8221; said Wilkes-Barre resident Adam Ciechoski, who attended the lecture Sunday afternoon. &#8220;This lecture was great because it didn&#8217;t just talk about basketball but real-life issues.&#8221;</p><p>The issue of race entered Abdul-Jabbar&#8217;s mind in the third grade, he said.</p><p>&#8220;The first time I realized I was black was in third grade,&#8221; Abdul-Jabbar, 71, told the crowd of more than 1,000. &#8220;A classmate of mine brought in a Polaroid camera, and I noticed I was the only black face in the picture.&#8221;</p><p>When Abdul-Jabbar first met Wooden, he thought he looked like the Pepperidge Farm guy.</p><p>&#8220;I came to UCLA because I liked Wooden, and I thought I fit in well with their program,&#8221; the three-time NCAA national champion said. &#8220;He never told us that he expected us to win. He would just say go out there and execute the game plan we went over in practice.</p><p>&#8220;Coach Wooden never let me down. What was great about him was that I could talk about anything with him, it wasn&#8217;t just about basketball.&#8221;</p><p>He continued: &#8220;I was with him three hours before he passed away. He was a great man and an amazing friend.&#8221;</p><p>Abdul-Jabbar went from UCLA to the Milwaukee Bucks as the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft in 1969.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m proud at which the speed the Bucks won the championship,&#8221; he said. &#8220;No one talks about it, but we won the championship after being in existence for only three years.&#8221;</p><p>After Abdul-Jabbar&#8217;s prolific NBA career came to a close, he went on to become a bestselling author, philanthropist and documentarian.</p><p>&#8220;I was an avid reader and enjoyed writing in grade school,&#8221; he mentioned. &#8220;I was an English major at UCLA. I always wanted to write a book on my own about black history.&#8221;</p><p>Abdul-Jabbar has gone on to author 15 books.</p><p>He is not only an author. He is the founder of the Skyhook Foundation, named after his trademark shot, that focuses on bringing educational STEM opportunities to under-served communities.</p><p>&#8220;You don&#8217;t have to be like Beyonce, Denzel or LeBron,&#8221; he said. &#8220;All they have to do is pay attention in chemistry class.</p><p>&#8220;My foundation helps kids from the inner-city go to camps and labs and learn about a STEM education because that&#8217;s where the good jobs of the 21st century are going to be.&#8221;</p><p>In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded Abdul-Jabbar with the nation&#8217;s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.</p><p>The former Los Angeles Lakers center noted that race relations in America have made progress but have also had points of regression.</p><p>&#8220;I think the problem today is that people are not being rationale,&#8221; Abdul-Jabbar said. &#8220;Critical thinking is something we need to teach young people to make wise choices.</p><p>&#8220;This is the best country in the world and thinking about making that. It has to be our constant goal. If individuals think like that, we will get things done.&#8221;</p><p>The six-time NBA champion also weighed in on the who is better debate: LeBron James or Michael Jordan?</p><p>&#8220;You can&#8217;t compare them,&#8221; Abdul-Jabbar stated. &#8220;Both play the game very differently. They are both leaders and at the end of the game they are the one&#8217;s you want to take the final shot, that&#8217;s how they&#8217;re the same.</p><p>Abdul-Jabbar left a message for students in the crowd of nearly 1,000 people.</p><p>&#8220;Take your time as you go through school,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You will figure out what you want to do. Just be patient and follow your heart. Everything will work out.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Kareem Abdul-Jabbar talk to audience members as Wilkes University President Patrick Leahy listens on Sunday afternoon at the McHale Athletic Center. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_kareem1_faa-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Kareem Abdul-Jabbar talk to audience members as Wilkes University President Patrick Leahy listens on Sunday afternoon at the McHale Athletic Center. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_kareem2_faa-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Kareem Abdul-Jabbar covered a wide variety of topics during his speech at Wilkes University on Sunday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_kareem2_faa-2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Kareem Abdul-Jabbar covered a wide variety of topics during his speech at Wilkes University on Sunday. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_kareem3_faa-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wilkes University President Patrick Leahy asks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a question during the 37th Annual Max Rosenn Lecture in Law and Humanities at the McHale Athletic Center on Sunday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_kareem3_faa-2.jpg</photo2><caption2>Wilkes University President Patrick Leahy asks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a question during the 37th Annual Max Rosenn Lecture in Law and Humanities at the McHale Athletic Center on Sunday. </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_kareem5_faa-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Kareem Abdul-Jabbar makes a point during his speech Sunday at Wilkes University. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_kareem5_faa-2.jpg</photo3><caption3>Kareem Abdul-Jabbar makes a point during his speech Sunday at Wilkes University. </caption3><photoCredit3></photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_kareem1_faaCMYK-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Kareem Abdul-Jabbar talk to audience members as Wilkes University President Patrick Leahy listens on Sunday afternoon at the McHale Athletic Center. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_kareem1_faaCMYK-2.jpg</photo4><caption4>Kareem Abdul-Jabbar talk to audience members as Wilkes University President Patrick Leahy listens on Sunday afternoon at the McHale Athletic Center. </caption4><photoCredit4></photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_kareem2_faaCMYK-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Kareem Abdul-Jabbar covered a wide variety of topics during his speech at Wilkes University on Sunday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_kareem2_faaCMYK-2.jpg</photo5><caption5>Kareem Abdul-Jabbar covered a wide variety of topics during his speech at Wilkes University on Sunday. </caption5><photoCredit5></photoCredit5></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_kareem3_faaCMYK-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wilkes University President Patrick Leahy asks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a question during the 37th Annual Max Rosenn Lecture in Law and Humanities at the McHale Athletic Center on Sunday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo6>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_kareem3_faaCMYK-2.jpg</photo6><caption6>Wilkes University President Patrick Leahy asks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a question during the 37th Annual Max Rosenn Lecture in Law and Humanities at the McHale Athletic Center on Sunday. </caption6><photoCredit6></photoCredit6></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Dan Stokes</p><p>dstokes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Dan Stokes at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @ByDanStokes</p></shirttailMeta></div>

NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks to more than 1,000 at Wilkes event