Kareem Abdul-Jabbar named Class Day speaker

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Photo by Dan Winters

Laura Speers

Harvard Correspondent

April 22, 2025 4 min read

NBA icon, award-winning author, and humanitarian chosen for ‘his lasting efforts to build a more just and compassionate world’

Part of the Commencement 2025 series

A collection of features and profiles covering Harvard University’s 374th Commencement.

Legendary basketball player, writer, and activist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will address the Harvard College Class of 2025 during the annual Class Day celebration on May 28, the day before Harvard’s 374th Commencement.

“We are so excited to welcome Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the featured Class Day speaker,” said Uzma Issa ’25, first marshal of the 2025 Class Committee. “He’s a champion in every sense of the word — celebrated both for his extraordinary achievements on the court and his lasting efforts to build a more just and compassionate world. He has shown that true leadership is measured by the difference we make in people’s lives.”

“It’s a privilege to share this moment with the Class of 2025 and to celebrate all that lies ahead,” said Abdul-Jabbar. “The world needs their ideas, their energy, and their heart. I hope my words will encourage them to keep learning, keep growing, and keep showing up — for themselves and for others.”

Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Abdul-Jabbar is also an award-winning author, cultural icon, and tireless advocate for social justice. In 2016, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the nation’s highest civilian honor — in recognition of his contributions on and off the court.

The 7-foot-2 basketball Hall of Famer dominated the NBA for two decades with his trademark skyhook, becoming the league’s all-time leading scorer — a title he held for 39 years. A 19-time NBA All-Star and six-time NBA champion, he remains the only player in NBA history to win six Most Valuable Player awards. Time magazine once dubbed him “History’s Greatest Player.”

Since retiring in 1989, Abdul-Jabbar has continued to use his platform to challenge public thinking on a wide range of issues. An influential columnist, he has written for major media outlets worldwide and now publishes regularly on his Substack newsletter. A nine-time Southern California Journalism Awards Columnist of the Year, he is known for incisive commentary on sports, politics, and popular culture. Today, he remains one of the most outspoken and respected voices confronting racism and inequality in America.

A New York Times bestselling author of 20 books, Abdul-Jabbar’s forthcoming book, “ We All Want to Change the World: My Journey Through Social Justice Movements From the 1960s to Today,” offers a sweeping account of the protest movements that reshaped America and will be released in May.

Abdul-Jabbar traces his activism back to his high school years in Harlem, when he had the chance to ask Martin Luther King Jr. a question at a news conference. The brief exchange sparked a lifelong commitment to fighting injustice like systemic racism and inequality in education, health, and employment.

Appointed in 2012 as a U.S. Cultural Ambassador by the State Department, he was tasked with promoting education, racial tolerance, and cross-cultural understanding among young people around the world. In 2021, the NBA established the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award to honor the next generation of athletes working to lift up their communities. His public service efforts have earned him numerous honors, including Harvard’s W.E.B. Du Bois Medal in 2022.

Abdul-Jabbar is the founder and chair of The Skyhook Foundation, which brings science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education to underserved communities in Los Angeles.

An award-winning documentary producer and two-time Emmy-nominated narrator, Abdul-Jabbar is the subject one of HBO’s most-watched sports documentary of all time, “Kareem: Minority of One.” His on-screen appearances span hundreds of iconic film and television roles.

“Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has spent a lifetime speaking out against injustice and using his platform to educate and inspire,” said Srija Vem ’25, second marshal of the 2025 Class Committee. “As we prepare to take our next steps in life, his legacy reminds us that we all have the opportunity — and the responsibility — to use our voices, our intellect, and our talents in service of something greater.”

In addition to Abdul-Jabbar’s address, Class Day includes award presentations and student orations. The event will begin at 2 p.m. on May 28 in Tercentenary Theatre and will be livestreamed.