Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has never been an athlete who has limited himself to just basketball-related conversations. Long after retiring from the NBA, the Hall of Famer has maintained an active voice through books, essays and opinion pieces that often focus on culture, race, and politics.
In his recent Substack post, Kareem opened up about his thoughts on literature before using them as a basis for an in-depth critique of President Donald Trump.
Kareem used literature to call out POTUS
The former Los Angeles Lakers center began by discussing Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment and the idea of the “unreliable narrator.” He then connected that concept to real life, arguing that some leaders present reality in a way that feels disconnected from facts. That is where he brought Trump into the conversation.
“We know all about unreliable narrators,”Kareem wrote.“We have one in President Trump, who narrates our nation’s day-to-day life with the kind of backwards logic of the villain Bizarro in the old Superman comics.”
Bizarro is one of the most prominent villains in Superman comics because he represents an upside-down version of the hero. Where Superman is connected with honesty and clarity for the public, Bizarro is known for reversing meanings and turning ordinary logic on its head.
Why did Kareem compared Trump to Bizarro
The NBA legend used that comparison to make the point that Trump usually presents events in America in a similarly reversed manner.
According to Kareem, statements about issues such as the economy, war and even plans involving the White House should be questioned rather than accepted at face value. He also applied the same thinking to Trump’s promises to protect future elections, saying those claims don’t really give people confidence.
Moving on, the six-time NBA champion targeted Trump’s preference for self-praise over honest disagreements.
“Trump is a man who loves flattery and abhors candor. At the beginning of each cabinet meeting, he famously expects each of his department heads to share why they’re so grateful to work for him,”Kareem added. “He is a man who suffers fools gladly, but can’t stand a person who displays integrity.”
He basically argued that Trump has always rewarded loyalty and admiration while reacting negatively to criticism and independent judgment.
His recent post is part of the pattern that has defined much of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s post-playing career. In this case, he made a Superman villain a vehicle to drive his political views.
This story was originally published byBasketball Networkon Jul 31, 2026, where it first appeared in theOff The Courtsection. Add Basketball Network as aPreferred
