The Latest Cry Of The Celebrity - Where's My Statue?

Talk is cheap. Show me the statue. That's the moral of the story. If I were Kareem I would feel slighted too, and I already feel slighted that there isn't a statue of me in an appropriate place somewhere in New York City. Really, insulting. Totally.

What's up with the Lakers? They don't have the money for a statue? They are blowing money like it's going out of style on a second rate team that went down peacefully to Dirk-i-stan without a whimper. And now they can't pay proper tribute to their past?

Maybe it's the NYC connection. Kareem is a NYCity kid. They are dissing the East Coast. That's all there is to it. Until they build that statue, I'm down on the Lakers, which is easy, cause I hate the fucking Lakers. Though they do have stylish unis.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar isn't happy. The former Lakers center, a member of the Hall of Fame, told a reporter from The Sporting News on Wednesday he feels "slighted" because there isn't a statue of him outside of Staples Center.

There are statues of Lakers guards Magic Johnson and Jerry West plus late announcer Chick Hearn, who join Kings great Wayne Gretzky and boxer Oscar De La Hoya in what's known as Star Plaza in front of the 12-year-old arena.

"I don't understand (it)," he told the magazine for a story posted on its website. "It's either an oversight or they're taking me for granted.

"I'm not going to try to read people's minds, but it doesn't make me happy. It's definitely a slight. I feel slighted."

Abdul-Jabbar teamed with Johnson to win five NBA championships during the Showtime era of the 1980s. He is the leading scorer in the history of the league with 38,387 points during his 20 seasons. He also was the league's MVP six times.

"There is no plan or timetable" for the next statue to be commissioned and unveiled, Lakers spokesman John Black said, and added "Kareem absolutely will be the next one. People in the organization have told him that.

"In my opinion, he's the greatest player who ever lived. Somebody had to go first. Somebody had to go second. Somebody had to go third.

"We value him and what he's done for us greatly."

[Press-Telegram, Long Beach, CA]