The worlds of basketball and martial arts collided in Los Angeles, as Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar revealed none other than Hollywood icon Bruce Lee as his teacher – for combat sports as well as philosophy – in the 1970s. Easily one of the most unique relationships Hollywood and the sports world have ever seen, the iconic duo starred in Game of Death.1
Headlined by one of the most unique scenes in movie history – Hakim the Mantis, Jabbar’s character, a towering 18 inches taller than his 5’8″ opponent – the movie has become an absolute fan favorite, released five years after the legendary actor’s tragic passing. Lee’s charateristic yellow suit from the movie has become an all-time icon of Asian and pop culture, veneratively referenced in the latest release of his former student’s signature shoe.
Bonded not just by their mentor/student relationship, these two legends, each immortalized with a bronze statue in Los Angeles – Lee’s in Chinatown, Abdul-Jabbar’s outside of the Crypto.com Arena Staples Center – developed a genuine friendship outside of the gym and off the screen, motivating Jabbar to dedicate this pair to his former teacher.
In addition to the yellow and black colorway – matching Lee’s iconic jumpsuit – the shoe features the martial arts legend’s signature on the lateral heel and a custom sockliner inspired by the duo. The one-two punch is brought full circle by silhouettes of the legends’ signature moves on the tongue (Kareem’ Skyhook) and on the heel (Lee’s jump kick), respectively.
This special ‘Bruce Lee’ edition of the adidas Jabbar Lo releases at BSTN on Saturday, September 13th. Pick up your pair via the button below!
1. The movie also features Jackie Chan asking for Bruce Lee’s character’s Hai Tien’s autograph. ↩
