Florida Sentinel Bulletin

LOS ANGELES – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s skyhook has been captured in bronze for future generations of basketball fans.

Staples Center unveiled a nearly 16-foot-tall statue of the top scorer in NBA history Friday night, immortalizing Jabbar’s famed hook shot alongside statues of fellow Los Angeles Lakers greats Magic Johnson and Jerry West.

The 65-year-old Abdul-Jabbar pronounced himself humbled and grateful during a ceremony attended by numerous NBA greats ranging from Johnson and West to Pat Riley and Elgin Baylor – and even Lakers superfan Jack Nicholson. “Having lived my life and had the experiences I’ve had, I can understand now what a man like Lou Gehrig means when he considers himself the luckiest man on the face of the earth,’‘ Abdul-Jabbar said.

Abdul-Jabbar is depicted in his signature goggles, wristbands and the standard 1980s short-shorts below his No. 33 jersey. The 7-foot-2 center pulled a braided cord to drop a curtain revealing the statue to hundreds of cheering fans, who gathered under threatening clouds for the ceremony. “I’m glad we got here before the pigeons got to it,’‘ Abdul-Jabbar said with a smile.

Plaxico Burress is back with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pittsburgh signed the 35-year-old wide receiver on Tuesday to provide depth at a position decimated by injuries. Antonio Brown has missed the last two games with a sprained ankle and Jerricho Cotchery fractured his ribs late in Sunday night’s 13-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Burress spent his first five seasons in the NFL with the Steelers, who selected him with the eighth overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft. He played for the New York Jets last year, catching 45 passes for 612 yards and tying for the team lead with eight touchdown receptions. He missed the 2009 and 2010 seasons while serving a 20-month prison sentence stemming from a gun charge.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Burress looked “good” during a brief workout Tuesday morning.

Five games into a comeback after a season spent away from the game, Timberwolves guard Brandon Roy will reportedly undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

Roy, who has missed Minnesota’s last four games because of knee pain, will undergo the surgery this week. The surgery will prevent him from returning to the Rose Garden in Portland, where he made his name as a three-time All-Star during a five-year career with the Blazers.

NEW YORK — Baltimore Ravens star safety Ed Reed was suspended for one game by the NFL on Monday for repeated hits to the head and neck area of defenseless players.

The 11-year veteran will miss Sunday’s game against San Diego, which will cost him one game check of more than $400,000. Reed is suspended for three violations of the player safety rules in the past three seasons.

The latest came in Sunday night’s 13-10 victory over Pittsburgh when he was penalized for unnecessary roughness in the third quarter for a hit to the head of receiver Emmanuel Sanders.

Cam Newton has launched a new initiative to benefit three Charlotte area schools. Through his charitable foundation which bears his name, Newton made a $150,000 donation to the schools in attempt to help boost school spirit and achievement.

Bradley Middle School in Huntersville, Thomasboro Academy and Randolph Middle School in Charlotte each received $50,000.

The donations were made with the purpose of developing customized programs to enhance cultural environment, as well as increase student achievement, boost student engagement, and advance health and wellness.

It was a first for Mike Shanahan. The Washington Redskins, coming out of their bye week, voted to add captains to the group that has been in place since the start of the season and rookie quarterback Robert Griffin, III was selected. It’s the first rookie Shanahan can recall being named captain.

“It’s very hard to vote a rookie to be your captain,” Shanahan said. “But midway through the season, you say, ‘Hey, he’s our leader.’ ” Griffin and defensive linemen Barry Cofield and Stephen Bowen were added as captains.

Special teams ace Lorenzo Alexander, linebacker London Fletcher and left tackle Trent Williams opened the season as captains.

ATLANTA — Former WNBA star Chamique Holdsclaw is in custody after being accused of shooting into a woman’s car after using a bat to break its windows. Atlanta police said Thursday that the incident happened Tuesday after the Olympic gold medalist followed 29-year-old Jennifer Lacy to her car. Lacy plays for the Tulsa Shock.

No one was injured. Lacy identified the 35-year-old Holdsclaw, one of the biggest stars in women’s college basketball history during her career at Tennessee, as an ex-girlfriend. They were teammates with the Atlanta Dream in 2009. Holdsclaw was in custody Thursday night in Fulton County Jail. Her bond was set at $10,000 on one charge each of aggravated assault, second-degree criminal damage and reckless conduct.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M freshman wide receiver Thomas Johnson has been found safe in Dallas after being missing from campus since Monday. His mother, Linda Hanks, says A&M University police called her early Thursday to say the 18-year-old has been found unharmed.

Police said Wednesday that Johnson was last seen leaving his College Station residence around 5 p.m. Monday. Hanks said she had traveled from Dallas to College Station as authorities searched for her son. Meanwhile, Johnson turned up 180 miles to the north, in Dallas. Hanks says Johnson has not contacted her since his disappearance and that she had no other information.

It’s a shame last Sunday’s Tampa Bay Buccaneer win over the San Diego Chargers was blacked out locally. But, they will be on the road this Sunday as they face Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers.

The Bucs appear to be going in one direction and the Panthers in the other as both teams try to establish consistency. Newton’s rookie year was legendary as he set new rookie records for passing yards and running touchdowns. However, his sophomore season has been full of turmoil and mistakes. The Buccaneer players will go to Carolina hoping to extend their win streak, but they will also be thinking about the future of linebacker, Quincy Black.

Black, 28, was carted off the field last Sunday after tackling running back Ryan Mathews. He was reported as having a neck injury, but no spinal cord damage. There was some complications with his left arm, but he has been released from the hospital.

Head Coach, Greg Schiano, said Black has use of his left arm, but doctors believe there could be nerve damage and are waiting for the swelling to go down before ordering more tests.