Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Named Global Cultural Ambassador

(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer was appointed yesterday by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to become a global cultural ambassador.

During his appointment ceremony, the Hall of Famer said he remembered back when Louis Armstrong served in a similar role for President Kennedy and is ecstatic “to follow in the footsteps of one of my heroes.”

When the former Los Angeles Lakers star decided to retire from the game in 1989, he became involved in many projects including his foundation, the Skyhook Foundation, which serves to improve the lives of children by using education and sports as motivators.

His new role as a global cultural ambassador for the US ”will lead conversations with young people on the importance of education, social and racial tolerance, cultural understanding, and using sports as a means of empowerment,” according to Clinton.

As an ambassador, Abdul-Jabbar will make his first official trip to Brazil on Sunday.

He said, “I look forward to meeting with young people all over the world and discussing ways in which we can strengthen our understanding of one another through education, through sports and through greater cultural tolerance.”

What’d you think of his appointment? Do you think Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will make for a good global cultural ambassador to the US?