Former Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar weighed in on the most-talked-about topic in the NBA. Load management has a debatable issue and Kareem believes he could have prolonged his playing career had he been part of the whole shebang.
Speaking to Shaquille O’Neal during their NBA on TNT sit-down, “I could’ve played 25-30 years with load management. I sit home and think about that,” Kareem said.
“I made a commitment to stay in shape. [After] the season was over, I took the two weeks off, then worked on my stamina, worked on my footwork. It was just a challenge every year to try to be the best guy in my position.”
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In his 20 seasons in the NBA, Kareem has played in all 82 games five times, 80 games four times, and 81 games twice.
The only time he played less than 70 games was during the 1974-75 season after missing 16 games after his freak incident of punching the backboard stanchion, breaking two bones in his right hand. Kareem’s prolific career saw him suit up for 1560 games averaging 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists.
Had load management been a thing during Kareem’s era, there would be no doubt that his career would have forayed for a few more seasons well into the 90s. By the time he retired aged 42, he held the record for most career games played in the NBA.
Kareem was a six-time MVP — the most in league history. He was also the all-time record holder for most points (38,387) until LeBron James broke the record in 2023. Maybe these numbers would have been a lot more had the center been part of the load management concept.
Adam Silver’s Honest Take On Load Management
Earlier this season, NBA commissioner Adam Silver spoke to ESPN about his thoughts on load management.
“I don’t want to suggest there’s a magic bullet here. I don’t think it’s just about incentivizing players to play more, that the teams are as much a part of the load management as the players are, because again, I think there’s been a societal shift. Everything’s about winning a championship these days and it’s less, I think in all sports, about how you perform day in and day out. And so it’s a cultural issue as well. (h.t ESPN)
He further added that the league was taking steps to address the issue in the new CBA that asks players to play a set number of games to be eligible for awards. Only time will tell how it pans out in the future.
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