Basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and University of California President Michael V. Drake, M.D. Abdul-Jabbar received the UC Presidential Medal, the university’s highest honor, at a ceremony on September 19. (Photo: David Esquivel, UCLA)

University of California President Michael V. Drake, M.D., has awarded the UC Presidential Medal to hoops legend, best-selling author, philanthropist and UCLA alum Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The university’s highest honor, the award recognizes Mr. Abdul-Jabbar’s transformative advocacy for education, health and social justice, his steadfast support of his alma mater and his efforts to inspire student-athletes on and off the court.

Altogether, President Drake said, Mr. Abdul-Jabbar’s life and work have “illuminated new pathways for others. He has been an icon and a role model, inspiring countless young Black men to excel both in academics and athletics, to live by their values, and to contribute to their communities.”

“If you’re going to stand on shoulders,” President Drake continued, “you should pick someone who is seven feet tall.”

Read the full story from the UC Newsroom

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