NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is joining ESPN.com as a columnist. Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, will write bi-weekly pieces covering a range of topics, tapping into his perspectives as a retired professional athlete and as an everyday fan. Abdul-Jabbar will examine the subject of sports from a unique point of view, informed by insights from around the world as he shares his experiences as a U.S. Global Cultural Ambassador. He was appointed to the post earlier this year by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. During his NBA career and since his retirement, Abdul-Jabbar has been an actor, basketball coach and New York Timesbest-selling author. His most recent accomplishments include starting the Skyhook Foundation, which engages filmmakers, writers and athletes to develop books and films that teach children about important figures in U.S. history. As part of this initiative, Abdul-Jabbar produced a critically acclaimed documentary film, “On the Shoulders of Giants — The Story of The Greatest Team You Never Heard Of” and released his first children’s book titled, “What Color Is My World? The Lost History of African-American Inventors.” As a U.S. Global Cultural Ambassador, Abdul-Jabbar’s mission is to travel the world and engage under-served youth through special programs, and to open a dialogue that promotes American history and culture.