Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is widely considered as one of the best basketball players of all time. He has also served as a basketball coach and is a best-selling author. He played 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) before retiring. He received numerous awards as a result of his outstanding winning streak. He retired as the NBA’s all-time leader in nine categories, including total points and games played. He won six NBA titles, five with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Milwaukee Bucks. He has established himself as one of the most gifted and successful figures. His signature ‘skyhook’ is often regarded as basketball’s most iconic weapon.
Abdul-Jabbar won six titles, including six MVPs, which is the highest MVP trophy by any NBA player, and finished as the league’s all-time leading scorer. He retired in 1989 and is largely regarded as one of the best players in NBA history, with his talent being celebrated as early as high school.
After his retirement, he began writing and documenting his career. He’s also written several cultural books and appeared in a number of films and television series. In his relentless career, he succeeded at practically every turn and is always involved in politics. His intriguing life was also the focus of a documentary. He currently writes for The Hollywood Reporter and contributes to The Guardian.
Biography:
Born: April 16, 1947 in New York, USA
Birth name: Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor
Nicknames: Lew, Known as “The Big ‘A'” before his name change.
Height: 7′ 2″ (2.18 m)
Personal Life:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was born on April 16, 1947, in New York City, to Cora Lillian and Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr. His early growth spurt, which made him taller than most others, received a lot of attention.
He got into basketball at a young age. In school, he headed Jack Donahue’s Power Memorial Academy team to three New York City Catholic championships. Following this, he earned the nickname ‘The Tower from Power’. The seven-foot-one-inch star enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and quickly won three collegiate titles while also pursuing his degree.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar married Habiba Abdul-Jabbar, born Janice Brown, and the couple has three children: Habiba, Sultana, and Kareem Jr. They got divorced in 1978. He has a second son, Adam, with his ex-girlfriend Cheryl Pistono.
He converted to Islam at the age of 24 and changed his name from Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. His current name signifies ‘a noble and powerful servant of Allah’ in Arabic.
Net Worth:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has a net worth of $25 million. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won numerous awards and distinctions during his NBA career. He won six NBA championships and was the league’s all-time greatest scorer for many years till LeBron James shattered the record in February 2023.
Awards:
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (May 15, 1995)
- NYC Basketball Hall of Fame – Inaugural Class, 1990
- Rookie of the Year (1970)
- 6× NBA champion (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
- 6× NBA MVP (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980)
- 6× Sporting News NBA MVP (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980)
- 2× Finals MVP (1971, 1985)
- One of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996)
Fun Facts:
- In 1978, he appeared alongside Bruce Lee in the film ‘Game of Death’. He also trained with Bruce Lee.
- Along with other performers and artists, he recorded an audiobook of his book on the Harlem Renaissance, titled ‘On the Shoulders of Giants’.
- His favourite novels are “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates, “But Beautiful: A Book About Jazz” by Geoff Dyer, and Conan Doyle’s Sherlock adventures.
- He is an ardent coin collector and was appointed to the Citizens Coin Advisory Council, which chooses what coins are manufactured in the United States.