Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the Jo Biden White House

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar would be a great help to unify the country and also promote peace and dialogue around the world.

Amid rumors and speculations about the possible names that would make it to the upcoming Biden administration and with the most important nominees already announced, one person that should be seriously considered for a top position is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

He is not only a global sports icon easily recognizable for his great achievements on the basketball court but he is also a prominent social justice activist that for years has been engaged at grassroots levels throughout America.

We are talking about a role model that for decades has become a truly inspiration not only for millions of Afro-Americans kids but also for any citizen interested and passionate about pursuing a better and more just and equitable society.

Awarding him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian tribute in the country, for his greatness on court and off court, President Obama did the right thing honoring and recognizing a national hero.

The same hero can still play an important role to help shaping a better future for America.

After experiencing continuous bullying in high school, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar found in the basketball court an oasis where he could emerge and thrive, gaining that self-esteem and respectability that for long had escaped him.

Ironically because of his love for reading and studying he could not fit in an environment predominantly Afro-American with many of his classmates being themselves victims of dysfunctional families, an outcome of racial disparities and inequalities that were so persistent in the United States of America where Abdul-Jabbar grew up.

Unfortunately it is a version of country that still remain true for far too many Americans.

After discovering basketball, he soon became an outstanding player and a top candidate for the best basketball college programs.

Growing up in a tense New York City in the seventies, Mr. Abdul-Jabbar chose west and got enrolled at UCLA joining the team coached by John Wooden, one of the greatest basketball figures, not only for his trophies but because he was passionate educator in his heart, someone who deeply cared for all his players.

There Mr. Abdul-Jabbar not only honed his already very promising skills on courts but he learned firsthand and practiced the key values that have been a cornerstone of the UCLA’s basketball program under Coach Wooden.

Values and skills like cooperation, friendship, loyalty, intentness, team spirit and the increasingly more relevant capacity of self-control that are faltering day by day under President Trump.

These are some of the “bricks” that make the famous John Wooden’s pyramid of success that should become a teaching material for all, adults included.

It was a real school of life and no matter differences that existed between the Coach and the future NBA star, a great relationship was born, marked by respect and reciprocal admiration.

Since retirement Mr. Abdul-Jabbar has been extensively focused on creating a better level playing field for many Americans, showing how his determination, commitment or as Coach Wooden would have said, his “industriousness” made the difference.

Though naturally gifted with his height, Mr. Abdul-Jabbar had to work hard to excel on court and also throughout his studies, something he never neglected, thanks to his family’s strong belief in the power of education.

As a member of a future Biden Administration, we could think of him assuming the role of a true unifier, a successful and well-read global citizen that emerged despite adversities and whose solid credibility, on and off court, could land the Biden Administration an important bridge to heal the country, bringing it together.

Moreover, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s story and his achievements could also be useful to President Biden internationally, helping America regain trust among allies especially in the Arab world.

Given the fact that he is an Islam convert, a personal choice taken after years of introspection and exploration, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar could also become an important pivot of the Biden administration towards the millions of Muslims that ended up, in the last years, not only disillusioned but also showing contempt and hatred towards America.

It is a geopolitical and cultural area that has been neglected and humiliated unless we can imaginably consider positively the way the self-interests of Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates have advanced under the Trump Administration.

In his autobiographic book Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court, Mr. Abdul-Jabbar shared “I realized that “becoming Kareem” is not a goal but a long journey that never ends. I am always in the act of becoming Kareem — the Kareem I want to be, who is the kindest, gentlest, smartest, lovingest version of me. Today I am still trying to become Kareem.

He realized that after reaching the pinnacle of success and after each failures there is always a way to come back and learn from mistakes.

It’s not surprising to know that step after step he discovered his personal mission as a way “helping others along their chosen path”.

It is a strong affirmation of self-empowerment and self-determination, a statement that each of us can make choices that will define our life trajectories, either for best or for the worst.

The message is even more important because, with some guidance, the same that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar found in John Wooden and others, people, even, the underdogs, can succeed.

He further explains at the conclusion of the book “That’s why I wrote this book. To be that coach who takes by the hand anyone who ever feels picked on or put upon, outraged but out of range, vilified yet voiceless. Perhaps this road is not that much “less traveled by” as we think. It just seems that way because so often we feel like we’re walking it alone”.

It is the same why President Elect Jo Biden needs a national and perhaps global mentor or better a truly caring coach, the John Wooden’s way.

No one better than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar fits this job description.

The author is the Co-Founder of ENGAGE and writes about volunteerism, youth empowerment and the Sustainable Development Goals and sports for social impact.