Kareem Abdul-Jabbar might have damaged his hip after a nasty fall at a live performance Friday evening, however the UCLA and Lakers legend’s humorousness remains to be totally intact.
Abdul-Jabbar provided his tackle the incident — “Humpty Kareem had an awesome fall,” he joked within the very first sentence — in a Substack publish written days after taking a tumble whereas attending a efficiency by the Manhattan Switch at Walt Disney Live performance Corridor in downtown Los Angeles.
“I’d prefer to say I fell whereas attempting to save lots of a toddler from plunging over a balcony, however I simply tripped,” the NBA’s No. 2 all-time scorer wrote. “Laborious for me to simply accept {that a} as soon as world-class athlete simply stumbled. However age is the good equalizer and humbles us all. Now, I’m a world-class affected person in a mattress convalescing from a hip substitute like 450,000 different Individuals yearly.”
Abdul-Jabbar, 76, wrote that he was at Disney Corridor that evening for the ultimate efficiency within the decades-spanning profession of the eclectic vocal quartet. He was slated to talk on the present and was going to learn a letter from Vice President Kamala Harris honoring the group “and supply some reward of my very own for a gaggle I really like and admire.”
“However,” he wrote, “I fell and was carted off to UCLA Hospital with a damaged hip.”
Abdul-Jabbar was handled by Los Angeles Fireplace Division paramedics earlier than being transferred to the hospital, the place he had surgical procedure over the weekend. His enterprise associate and spokesperson Deborah Morales instructed CNN that the six-time NBA champion and six-time league MVP was “recovering simply positive.” She instructed the Related Press that Abdul-Jabbar could be in restoration for the following three months.
On Monday, Abdul-Jabbar posted on Substack — the place he writes about sports activities, politics and tradition twice per week — to offer an replace of his personal.
“I might be taking per week or so off over the vacations to totally recuperate and spend time with my household,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote. “Once I return, will probably be with a shiny new hip and a variety of shiny ideas to share.”
Earlier than beginning his transient hiatus, although, Abdul-Jabbar shared Harris’ letter and what he had deliberate to say in regards to the Manhattan Switch earlier than his accident, in addition to a couple of extra ideas written from his hospital mattress.
“Goodbye, my mates. I’m sorry I used to be not capable of be a part of you onstage to learn the letter and inform the viewers how a lot your music has meant to me,” he wrote. “I hope this makes up for it in some small approach.”
“On the plus facet,” Humpty Kareem added, “my fall hit all of the newspapers so I made your closing present much more memorable. Come for the music, keep for the klutzy fall.”