The greatest American basketball player of all time, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, was in Gávea on Friday morning (January 27) to talk to children and sports fans about his career. Upon arriving at the Hélio Maurício gymnasium, everyone was impressed by the star's 7-foot-11 height. Despite being away from the court since 1989, he still inspires young aspiring professional players. 

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Kareem, a six-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and named cultural ambassador by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on January 18, was at the club accompanied by US Ambassador Thomas Shannon and Consul General Dennis Hearne. They were welcomed at Flamengo by President Patricia Amorim, Vice President of Olympic Sports Cristina Callou, and Director Marcus Guimarães. From the president, the living basketball legend received a personalized Flamengo jersey and returned with a Los Angeles Lakers jersey, the club with which he ended his career.

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"It's a great honor for Flamengo to welcome a global figure like Kareem. He, like us, is involved in social projects for children, and it's a great honor for the nation to welcome him into our home," Patricia thanked.

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During the chat with dozens of children who came from all over the state to see their idol, a video featuring images from the former player's career was shown. Kareem then spoke to the young people, focusing on the importance of balancing sports and education.

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"Sports and education must always go hand in hand, and that's not difficult. An educational foundation is the key to success in any athlete's career," he emphasized.

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Additionally, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who has focused his efforts on social initiatives since 1989, answered some questions and played a little ball with the young people present.

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 This was the first exchange event between Flamengo, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and Effect Sport (the company that acts as the USOC's agent in Brazil), since a partnership was signed for the club to host the American team's training before and during the 2016 Games in Rio.