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Kareem’s STEM camp auction a slam-dunk

Abdul-Jabbar selling basketball career items to fund his children’s camp.

By Bob Vavra March 1, 2019

Kareen Abdul-Jabbar earned championship rings in basketball. He’s now auctioning the memorabilia from his career, including four of his NBA championship rings with the Los Angeles Lakers, to help fund his new passion: a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) camp for children in the Los Angeles area.

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer has put items up for bid on his website, with some of the proceeds funding Camp Skyhook, a 5-day immersive camp in California that gives young people a chance to understand STEM. The auction runs through Saturday, March 2, and includes items from his days at Power Memorial High School in New York to his career at UCLA to his Hall of Fame NBA career. Among the 100 auction items are game-used jerseys, all-star game rings, and four NBA championship rings.

Abdul-Jabbar said on his website that the auction will fund Camp Skyhook, which he said on his blog would put the rewards for his career achievements in the proper perspective.

“When it comes to choosing between storing a championship ring or trophy in a room, or providing kids with an opportunity to change their lives, the choice is pretty simple. Sell it all,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote. “Looking back on what I have done with my life, instead of gazing at the sparkle of jewels or gold plating celebrating something I did a long time ago, I’d rather look into the delighted face of a child holding their first caterpillar and think about what I might be doing for their future. That’s a history that has no price.”


Author Bio: Bob is the Content Manager for Plant Engineering.