As if there won’t be enough electricity at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday, with third-ranked UCLA hosting the 13th-ranked Wildcats before a national CBS audience, it will also be “Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Day.”
The Bruin legend and social/political activist will be honored prior to and at halftime of the UA-UCLA game after receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama last November.
““The reason we honor Kareem is more than just a pair of goggles and the skyhook,” Obama said upon bestowing the award. “He stood up for his Muslim faith when it wasn’t easy and wasn’t popular. He’s as comfortable sparring with Bruce Lee as he is advocating on Capitol Hill or writing with extraordinary eloquence on patriotism.”
Abdul-Jabbar is scheduled to attend a pregame reception and then address the Pauley crowd at halftime. “Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Day” posters will be handed out to fans, while UCLA students will receive T-shirts commemorating the occasion.
