Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to have celebrity roast after statue ceremony

A day after the Lakers honor him with a statue outside of Staples Center, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be the subject of a celebrity roast at the JW Marriott L.A. Live and Ritz-Carlton.

Comedian George Lopez will host the event. Magic Johnson will be among one of the guests. And according to the Lakers, various unnamed celebrities and sports icons will also be on hand.

Abdul-Jabbar has cemented a reputation as aloof at best and rude at worst. Even though Abdul-Jabbar’s statue induction appears to be a no-brainer for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, it remains to be seen what kind of reception he will receive after publicly criticizing the Lakers last year for failing to unveil a statue sooner. But it’s possible an event such as a celebrity roast could help mitigate any resentful feelings. It could also show that Abdul-Jabbar is willing to laugh at himself.

The roast will also serve as a kickoff to a nationwide tour called the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Experience, in which he unveils more than 300 pieces of memorabilia reflecting his 19-year NBA career where he won five of his six championships with the Lakers. The proceeds will benefit Abdul-Jabbar’s Skyhook Foundation and STEM Education.

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