Kareem Abdul-Jabbar hammers Will Smith following Oscars controversy

NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wrote an opinion piece on Will Smith’s viral moment during the Oscars, harshly criticizing his actions. While Abdul-Jabbar believes one incident should not define Smith’s entire career, he called Smith’s actions damaging to women, the entertainment industry, and the Black community. The legendary basketball icon from UCLA won six NBA Championships, six MVP awards and was named an All-Star 19 times.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Will Smith

After a viral and incredible moment during the Oscars live broadcast, an altercation between Will Smith and Chris Rock sent the nation into a heated debate. The Oscars had Chris Rock presenting on stage, when he made a joke at the expense of Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Smith took exception to the joke and walked on stage, slapping Rock before returning to his seat and shouting expletives at Rock.

The segment was cut live as editors tried to cut it away, but the camera caught a moment of Smith’s cursing leaving fans confused. Later, unedited footage surfaced online, revealing that it did not appear to be a comedic bit — but an actual moment of tension.

Abdul-Jabbar has established himself as a strong leader using his celebrity status from basketball, often using writing to convey his opinions on complicated topics. His website features articles that delve deeply into sports and popular culture, often addressing issues he feels personally attached to.

“When Will Smith stormed onto the Oscar stage to strike Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife’s short hair, he did a lot more damage than just to Rock’s face,” wrote Abdul-Jabbar. “With a single petulant blow, he advocated violence, diminished women, insulted the entertainment industry, and perpetuated stereotypes about the Black community.”

His criticisms of Smith’s actions highlight that his status as a role model will be used to justify violence by young fans of Smith. Abdul-Jabbar uses Smith’s own son, Jaden Smith, as an example of this as Jaden Smith praised his father’s actions after the Oscars. He claims that Smith’s use of physical action against words is an inappropriate escalation and is an example of masculinity demeaning women and can be used as ammunition for talking heads that categorize Black men as violent.

Despite all of his criticisms of Smith’s actions at the Oscars, Abdul-Jabbar closed with his personal feelings towards Smith. He calls for Smith to take ownership of his behavior, and for people to condemn the incident independently of the man himself.

“I met Will Smith when I appeared on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 28 years ago,” closed Abdul-Jabbar. “And I’ve been to his house. I like him. He’s charming, sincere, and funny. I’m also a big fan of his movies. He’s an accomplished and dedicated actor who deserves the professional accolades he’s received. But it will be difficult to watch the next movie without remembering this sad performance.

“I don’t want to see him punished or ostracized because of this one, albeit a big one, mistake. I just want this to be a cautionary tale for others not to romanticize or glorify bad behavior. And I want Smith to be the man who really protects others—by admitting the harm he’s done to others.”