Kareem Abdul-Jabbar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Abdul-Jabbar in 2014
Personal information
Born	(1947-04-16) April 16, 1947 (age 78) New York City, New York, U.S.
High school	Power Memorial (New York City, New York)
Listed height	7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
Listed weight	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
College	UCLA (1966–1969)
NBA Draft	1969 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks
Pro career	1969–1989
Coaching career	1998–2011
Career history
As player:
1969–1975	Milwaukee Bucks
1975–1989	Los Angeles Lakers
As coach:
1998–1999	Alchesay HS (assistant)
2000	Los Angeles Clippers (assistant)
2002	Oklahoma Storm
2005–2011	Los Angeles Lakers (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
6× NBA champion (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988) 2× NBA Finals MVP (1971, 1985) 6× NBA Most Valuable Player (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980) 19× NBA All-Star (1970–1977, 1979–1989) 10× All-NBA First Team (1971–1974, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1986) 5× All-NBA Second Team (1970, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1985) 5× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1974, 1975, 1979–1981) 6× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1970, 1971, 1976–1978, 1984) NBA Rookie of the Year (1970) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1970) 2× NBA scoring champion (1971, 1972) NBA rebounding leader (1976) 4× NBA blocks leader (1975, 1976, 1979, 1980) NBA anniversary teams (35th, 50th, 75th) No. 33 retired by Milwaukee Bucks No. 33 retired by Los Angeles Lakers 3× NCAA champion (1967–1969) 3× NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1967–1969) 3× National college player of the year (1967–1969) 3× Consensus first-team All-American (1967–1969) No. 33 retired by UCLA Bruins 2× Mr. Basketball USA (1964, 1965) 3× First-team Parade All-American (1963–1965) Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016) As head coach: USBL champion (2002) As assistant coach: 2× NBA champion (2009, 2010)
Career NBA statistics
Points	38,387 (24.6 ppg)
Rebounds	17,440 (11.2 rpg)
Assists	5,660 (3.6 apg)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. on April 16, 1947) is a famous American former basketball player. He played for 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers. Before that, he played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins.

Kareem is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He won a record six NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards. He was also chosen for the NBA All-Star team 19 times. Many people think he is one of the greatest basketball players ever. He held the NBA's career scoring record from 1984 until LeBron James passed him in 2023.

Kareem was known as Lew Alcindor in high school. He led his team to 71 wins in a row. At UCLA, he won three national championships. He was the first pick in the 1969 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. In 1971, after winning his first NBA championship, he changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He was famous for his special "skyhook" shot. In 1975, he joined the Los Angeles Lakers and won five more NBA championships.

When he retired in 1989 at age 42, Kareem held many NBA records. He was also an actor, coach, and author. In 2016, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.

Kareem's Early Life and High School Years

Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. was born in Harlem, New York City. He was the only child of Cora Lillian and Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr. His father was a police officer and jazz musician. Kareem grew up in Upper Manhattan.

He was a very tall baby, weighing 12 pounds, 11 ounces. By age nine, he was 5 feet, 8 inches tall. Being so tall sometimes made him feel sad as a teenager. By the eighth grade, he was 6 feet, 8 inches tall and could already slam dunk a basketball!

Kareem started breaking basketball records in high school. He played for Power Memorial Academy in New York City. He led his team to three city championships. They also had an amazing 71-game winning streak. His team won the national high school championship twice.

Kareem's College Basketball Career

Alcindor with a two-hand dunk against Stanford.

After high school, Kareem couldn't play in the NBA right away. Back then, players had to wait until their college class would have graduated. So, he chose to go to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

At UCLA, Kareem was 7 feet, 1 inch tall. In his first year, he played on the freshman team. This was because freshmen couldn't play on the main varsity team until 1972. In their first public game, Kareem's freshman team beat the top-ranked varsity team 75–60. Kareem scored 31 points and had 21 rebounds.

Alcindor playing against USC.

Kareem joined the varsity team in his second year (1966). He scored 56 points in his first game, a UCLA record! He led UCLA to a perfect 30–0 record and a national championship. After that season, the slam dunk was even banned in college basketball to try and stop his dominance.

During his college years, Kareem led UCLA to an amazing 88 wins and only two losses. He won the national player of the year award three times. He also helped UCLA win three NCAA championships in a row (1967, 1968, and 1969).

In 1968, Kareem had an eye injury during a game. Later, he would wear goggles to protect his eyes. He also played in the "Game of the Century" against the Houston Cougars. UCLA lost that game, ending their 47-game winning streak. But they got their revenge in the NCAA tournament semifinals.

Alcindor cutting the net after winning the 1969 NCAA Championship.

In the summer of 1968, Kareem converted to Sunni Islam and took the name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He didn't use it publicly until 1971. He also decided not to join the 1968 Summer Olympics team. He was protesting how African Americans were treated in the United States.

Kareem finished college in 1969 with a degree in history. In his free time, he learned martial arts. He trained in Jeet Kune Do with the famous Bruce Lee.

UCLA School Records

Kareem still holds many records at UCLA:

• Highest career scoring average: 26.4 points per game.
• Most points in a season: 870 (in 1967).
• Most points in a single game: 61.

He is also second only to Bill Walton in career and season rebounds.

Kareem's Professional Basketball Career

Milwaukee Bucks (1969–1975)

Alcindor showing his skyhook shot over Wes Unseld.

In 1969, the Milwaukee Bucks picked Kareem first in the NBA draft. The Bucks were only in their second season. Kareem instantly became a star. He was second in scoring and third in rebounding in the league. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year award.

The next season, the Bucks added star player Oscar Robertson. Milwaukee had the best record in the league with 66 wins. Kareem won his first of six NBA Most Valuable Player Awards. The Bucks then won the NBA championship in 1971. Kareem was named the Finals MVP.

After this championship, Kareem officially announced his new name, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He continued to be a dominant player for the Bucks. He won his second MVP award the next year. In 1974, he won his third MVP award in four years. The Bucks reached the NBA finals again but lost to the Boston Celtics.

In 1975, Kareem asked to be traded to a team in New York or Los Angeles. He felt the Midwest didn't fit his cultural needs. He also broke his right hand in a preseason game that year. He missed 16 games and started wearing protective goggles when he returned.

Los Angeles Lakers (1975–1989)

Bill Sharman and Jack Kent Cooke announcing Kareem joining the Lakers.

In 1975, Kareem was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. In his first season with the Lakers, he led the league in rebounds and blocked shots. He won his fourth MVP award. The next year, he won his fifth MVP award, tying Bill Russell's record.

Abdul-Jabbar getting a pass from Magic Johnson during the 1985 NBA Finals.

In 1979, the Lakers drafted Magic Johnson. This started the famous "Showtime" era for the Lakers in the 1980s. They reached the NBA Finals eight times and won five championships. Kareem won his record sixth MVP award in 1980. In the 1980 NBA Finals, he played through an ankle injury to help the Lakers win.

Kareem continued to score over 20 points per game for six more seasons. The Lakers won another championship in 1982. On April 5, 1984, Kareem broke Wilt Chamberlain's record for most career points in the NBA. He scored with his famous skyhook shot.

In 1985, Kareem won his second Finals MVP award. He was 38 years old, making him the oldest player to win this award. The Lakers beat the Boston Celtics, ending their losing streak against them in the finals.

Abdul-Jabbar playing against the Boston Celtics.

Kareem was known for his fitness. He started doing yoga in 1976 to stay flexible. He said he couldn't have played so long without it.

Kareem played for 20 seasons, which was an NBA record at the time. He retired in 1989. In his final season, he received standing ovations from fans everywhere he played. When he retired, he held records for most points, most field goals made, and most minutes played.

Kareem's Coaching Career

After retiring, Kareem wanted to coach. He had a reputation for being quiet and not very friendly with the media during his playing days. This made it harder for him to get coaching jobs.

He worked as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers and Seattle SuperSonics. He helped young centers improve their game. In 2002, he was the head coach for the Oklahoma Storm and led them to a championship.

Later, he returned to the Lakers as a special assistant coach for six seasons. He helped mentor players like Andrew Bynum. Kareem stopped coaching in 2013 after not getting head coach positions he wanted.

Kareem's Player Profile

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a dominant player. He was 7 feet, 2 inches tall and weighed around 240-250 pounds. He was known for his agility and speed.

His most famous move was the "skyhook" shot. He would raise the ball high above his head, making it almost impossible for defenders to block. He could shoot it with either hand. This shot helped him have a very high shooting percentage throughout his career.

Kareem was also a great defender. He was chosen for the NBA All-Defensive Team eleven times. He was excellent at blocking shots, averaging 2.6 blocks per game. He was also a natural leader, and his teammates called him "Cap" (short for Captain).

Kareem's strict fitness routine helped him play for a long time. He started a year-round conditioning program at age 26. He also did yoga and tai chi. He played in 95% of his team's games during his career.

He started wearing his famous goggles in 1974 after getting poked in the eye. He wore them for many years to protect his eyes.

Kareem's Legacy and Impact

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points. He also won a record six MVP awards. He won six NBA championships and two Finals MVP awards. He was chosen for 15 All-NBA teams and 11 All-Defensive teams. He was also selected for a record 19 All-Star teams.

He is considered one of the greatest basketball players ever. Many experts and legends, like Pat Riley and Isiah Thomas, have called him the greatest player of all time. Julius Erving said Kareem is "the number one guy" to start a team with.

Kareem was known for his dominance and how long he played at a high level. He credited Bruce Lee with teaching him discipline that helped him play for 20 years with few injuries.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1969–70	Milwaukee	82*	—	43.1	.518	—	.653	14.5	4.1	—	—	28.8
1970–71†	Milwaukee	82	—	40.1	.577	—	.690	16.0	3.3	—	—	31.7*
1971–72	Milwaukee	81	—	44.2	.574	—	.689	16.6	4.6	—	—	34.8*
1972–73	Milwaukee	76	—	42.8	.554	—	.713	16.1	5.0	—	—	30.2
1973–74	Milwaukee	81	—	43.8	.539	—	.702	14.5	4.8	1.4	3.5	27.0
1974–75	Milwaukee	65	—	42.3	.513	—	.763	14.0	4.1	1.0	3.3*	30.0
1975–76	L.A. Lakers	82	82	41.2	.529	—	.703	16.9*	5.0	1.5	4.1*	27.7
1976–77	L.A. Lakers	82	82	36.8	.579*	—	.701	13.3	3.9	1.2	3.2	26.2
1977–78	L.A. Lakers	62	—	36.5	.550	—	.783	12.9	4.3	1.7	3.0	25.8
1978–79	L.A. Lakers	80	—	39.5	.577	—	.736	12.8	5.4	1.0	4.0*	23.8
1979–80†	L.A. Lakers	82	—	38.3	.604	.000	.765	10.8	4.5	1.0	3.4*	24.8
1980–81	L.A. Lakers	80	—	37.2	.574	.000	.766	10.3	3.4	.7	2.9	26.2
1981–82†	L.A. Lakers	76	76	35.2	.579	.000	.706	8.7	3.0	.8	2.7	23.9
1982–83	L.A. Lakers	79	79	32.3	.588	.000	.749	7.5	2.5	.8	2.2	21.8
1983–84	L.A. Lakers	80	80	32.8	.578	.000	.723	7.3	2.6	.7	1.8	21.5
1984–85†	L.A. Lakers	79	79	33.3	.599	.000	.732	7.9	3.2	.8	2.1	22.0
1985–86	L.A. Lakers	79	79	33.3	.564	.000	.765	6.1	3.5	.8	1.6	23.4
1986–87†	L.A. Lakers	78	78	31.3	.564	.333	.714	6.7	2.6	.6	1.2	17.5
1987–88†	L.A. Lakers	80	80	28.9	.532	.000	.762	6.0	1.7	.6	1.2	14.6
1988–89	L.A. Lakers	74	74	22.9	.475	.000	.739	4.5	1.0	.5	1.1	10.1
Career		1,560	789	36.8	.559	.056	.721	11.2	3.6	.9	2.6	24.6
All-Star		18	13	24.9	.493	.000	.820	8.3	2.8	.4	2.1	13.9

Playoffs

Kareem's Athletic Honors and Awards

• Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (1995)
• NYC Basketball Hall of Fame - 1990
• College
  • 2× Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year (1967, 1969)
  • 3× NCAA champion (1967–1969)
  • 3× NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player (1967–1969)
  • Naismith College Player of the Year (1969)
  • National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame (2007)
• NBA
  • Rookie of the Year (1970)
  • 6× NBA champion (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
  • 2× NBA Finals MVP (1971, 1985)
  • 6× NBA MVP (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980)
  • 19× NBA All-Star (1970–1977, 1979–1989)
  • 15× All-NBA (10× First Team, 5× Second Team)
  • 11× NBA All-Defensive Team (5× First Team, 6× Second Team)
  • Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" (1985)
  • Named to the NBA 35th Anniversary Team, 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, and NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• November 16, 2012 – A statue of Abdul-Jabbar was put up outside Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Kareem in Film and Television

Actor Shavar Ross and Abdul-Jabbar on the set of Diff'rent Strokes.

Living in Los Angeles helped Kareem try acting. He first appeared in Bruce Lee's 1972 film Game of Death.

In 1980, Kareem played co-pilot Roger Murdock in the movie Airplane! He had a funny scene where a boy recognizes him. He later appeared in a commercial with his Airplane! co-star.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (center) at a rally.

Kareem has been in many other TV shows and movies, often playing himself. These include Fletch, Full House, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Scrubs. He even voiced himself in an episode of The Simpsons.

In 2017, he appeared in the music video for "Good Goodbye" by the band Linkin Park. In 2019, he was in an episode of The Big Bang Theory. He also made a cameo in the 2022 Netflix movie Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

Documentaries and Reality TV

In 2011, Kareem released his film On the Shoulders of Giants. It was about the history of the New York Renaissance basketball team. In 2015, HBO made a documentary about his life called Kareem: Minority of One.

Kareem also appeared on reality TV shows. He was on Splash, a celebrity diving competition, in 2013. In 2018, he competed on Dancing with the Stars.

Kareem's Writing and Activism

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar signing books in 2007.

In 1967, Kareem was the only college athlete to attend the Cleveland Summit. This was a meeting where black athletes supported Muhammad Ali's decision not to fight in the Vietnam War.

Kareem has become a best-selling author. He has written several books, mostly about African-American history. His first book was his autobiography, Giant Steps, in 1983. Other books include On the Shoulders of Giants and Brothers in Arms.

In 2015, he wrote his first adult fiction novel, Mycroft Holmes. It was based on the Sherlock Holmes stories. He has also written articles for Time magazine. He often writes about important topics like race and religion.

Kareem has spoken out about social issues. In 2014, he wrote about college athletes needing fair pay. In 2017, he spoke about the importance of Muslim-Jewish relations.

Kareem's Government Appointments

Cultural Ambassador

In 2012, Hillary Clinton, who was the U.S. Secretary of State, announced that Kareem would be a cultural ambassador for the United States. In this role, he travels to other countries to promote education for young people. He said he was proud to follow in the footsteps of heroes like Louis Armstrong.

President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition

In 2016, President Barack Obama appointed Kareem to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. This council helps promote healthy living.

Kareem's Personal Life

Kareem married Janice Brown (later Habiba Abdul-Jabbar) in 1971. They had three children: Habiba, Sultana, and Kareem Jr. They divorced in 1978. He also has two other sons, Amir and Adam.

In 1983, Kareem's house burned down. He lost many things, including his collection of about 3,000 jazz albums. Many Lakers fans sent him new albums, which made him feel happy.

Religion and Name Change

Kareem grew up in the Catholic Church. But he converted to Islam in 1971 and changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This name means "noble one, servant of the Almighty." He chose this name to connect with his African heritage. He learned that many enslaved people brought to America were Muslims.

His name change was not always popular, especially in some white areas. In 1998, he even sued a football player named Karim Abdul-Jabbar for using his name.

Health Challenges

Kareem has had some health problems. In 2009, he announced he had a type of leukemia, a blood cancer. He said his condition could be managed with daily medicine. In 2011, he clarified that while his cancer was at a minimum, he wasn't "100% cancer free."

In 2015, he had heart surgery for cardiovascular disease. In 2020, he shared that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer years earlier. In 2023, he spoke about having atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat. He also broke his hip in a fall in December 2023.

Non-Athletic Honors

In 2016, Kareem received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is one of the highest awards a civilian can get in the U.S. In 2020, he was nominated for an Emmy Award for narrating a documentary.

Kareem's Books

• Kareem, with Mignon McCarthy (1990)
• Black Profiles in Courage: A Legacy of African-American Achievement, with Alan Steinberg (1996)
• A Season on the Reservation: My Sojourn with the White Mountain Apaches, with Stephen Singular (2000)
• Brothers in Arms: The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, World War II's Forgotten Heroes with Anthony Walton (2004)
• On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance with Raymond Obstfeld (2007)
• What Color Is My World? The Lost History of African American Inventors with Raymond Obstfeld (2012)
• Streetball Crew Book One Sasquatch in the Paint with Raymond Obstfeld (2013)
• Streetball Crew Book Two Stealing the Game with Raymond Obstfeld (2015)
• Mycroft Holmes with Anna Waterhouse (2015)
• Writings on the Wall: Searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White with Raymond Obstfeld (2016)
• Coach Wooden and Me: Our 50-Year Friendship On and Off the Court (2017)
• Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court (2017)
• Mycroft and Sherlock with Anna Waterhouse (2018)
• Mycroft and Sherlock: The Empty Birdcage with Anna Waterhouse (2019)

Images for kids

• 

  Abdul-Jabbar in 2014

• 

  Alcindor with the reverse two-hand dunk against Stanford

• 

  Alcindor versus USC

• 

  Alcindor performs ceremonial net cutting in 1969

• 

  Alcindor displaying the skyhook over Wes Unseld

• 

  Abdul-Jabbar lines up a free throw. He started wearing goggles to avoid damage to his corneas.

• 

  Bill Sharman and Jack Kent Cooke at a press conference announcing the signing of Abdul-Jabbar

• 

  Abdul-Jabbar receiving a pass from Magic Johnson during the 1985 NBA Finals

• 

  Abdul-Jabbar against the Boston Celtics in the 1980s

• 

  Actor Shavar Ross and Abdul-Jabbar on the set of Diff'rent Strokes, c. 1982

• 

  Abdul-Jabbar (center) at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear with Comedy Central hosts Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart

• 

  Book signing, 2007

• 

  Hillary Clinton and Abdul-Jabbar, 2012

• 

  Abdul-Jabbar (below, far right) and other former NBA players visit the New York NBA Store in January 2005

See also

In Spanish: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar para niños