Abdul-Jabbar says he would "definitely offer" his services if he got call from Bucks
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NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is interested in returning in some capacity to the Milwaukee Bucks.
"If I get a call, I will definitely offer my services," said Abdul-Jabbar, the franchise's career leading scorer with 14,211 points. "There's nothing on the table right now. A couple of people have asked me and if I had the chance to be part of this franchise again, I would take it."
In December, former Sen. Herb Kohl announced he would seek minority investors in the team, which he has owned since 1985. The franchise is at something of a crossroads, struggling to draw large crowds to an aging building. The Bucks beat Utah 114-88 on Monday, but have the league's worst record at 12-47.
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Still, Abdul-Jabbar sees Milwaukee as a viable NBA market.
"They have to get their business model right," Abdul-Jabbar said Monday. "I hope that the Bucks are able to sort it all out and get on a good footing. You can't win it all unless you get the right players and you can't get the right players unless you're really in a good position as a business."
Abdul-Jabbar was in town in part to promote a new tourism ad for the state of Wisconsin that played off his acting role in the movie "Airplane."
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Over the last few years, Abdul-Jabbar has expressed an interest in returning to the NBA as a coach. He's worked as a special assistant with teams such as the Clippers and Lakers.
Abdul-Jabbar — then Lew Alcindor — was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1969 NBA draft and immediately turned the Bucks, coming off their expansion season, into contenders. Milwaukee went 56-26 and finished second in the Eastern Division behind Abdul-Jabbar's 28.8 points and 14.5 rebounds per game.
Not long after the season ended, the Bucks obtained Oscar Robertson from the Cincinnati Royals, leading to a dominant 1970-71 season. They finished with a 66-16 record and swept Baltimore in the NBA Finals, becoming the fastest expansion franchise to win a championship in the history of major professional sports.
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The Bucks returned to the Finals in 1974, losing to Boston in seven games. Robertson would retire just before the '74-75 season and Abdul-Jabbar quietly requested a trade, looking for a bigger market and the chance to join another contender.
"They appreciated that and they appreciated that I kept my mouth shut about it," he said. "I gave them the opportunity to approach other teams and they figured out the best deal they could make for themselves."
Abdul-Jabbar got his wish in June 1975, when he was shipped to the Lakers in a deal that included Junior Bridgeman going to Milwaukee. Both players have had their jerseys retired by the franchise.
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Bridgeman, who was honored by the team last week, also has been mentioned as a possible investor.