NEW YORK — In a move to engage young people worldwide, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as a global cultural ambassador.

The Hall of Famer and NBA career scoring leader will promote the importance of education, social and racial tolerance, cultural understanding and using sports as a means of empowerment.

His appointment was announced Wednesday by the State Department.

"It's a great honor and I'm thrilled that they see me as the person that could get this done," he said in a phone interview.

The 64-year-old said he remembers a similar program under President John F. Kennedy where speakers came to his school in Harlem.

"So now I get to follow in the footsteps of one my heroes," he said.