Zaid Abdul-Aziz facts for kids
Abdul-Aziz with the Iowa State Cyclones during the 1967–68 season
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 7, 1946 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| High school | John Jay (Brooklyn, New York) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 235 lb (107 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Iowa State (1965–1968) |
| NBA Draft | 1968 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall |
| Selected by the Cincinnati Royals | |
| Pro career | 1968–1978 |
| Career history | |
| 1968–1969 | Cincinnati Royals |
| 1969–1970 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1970–1972 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1972–1975 | Houston Rockets |
| 1976 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1976–1977 | Buffalo Braves |
| 1978 | Boston Celtics |
| 1978 | Houston Rockets |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 4,557 (9.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 4,065 (8.0 rpg) |
| Assists | 601 (1.2 apg) |
Zaid Abdul-Aziz (born Donald A. Smith on April 7, 1946) is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He was known as Don Smith until 1976. That's when he changed his name to Zaid Abdul-Aziz after becoming a Muslim.
Abdul-Aziz was a star player for the Iowa State Cyclones in college basketball. He was chosen as the fifth overall pick in the 1968 NBA draft by the Cincinnati Royals. He played for ten seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). During his career, he played for teams like the Royals, Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, Houston Rockets, Buffalo Braves, and Boston Celtics. People sometimes called Abdul-Aziz "The Kangaroo" because of how he played.
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Playing Basketball: College and NBA
Zaid Abdul-Aziz played college basketball for the Iowa State Cyclones. He was on the team from 1965 to 1968. In 1968, he was named the Big Eight Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year. He was also chosen three times for the first-team All-Big Eight Conference.
Starting His NBA Journey
The Cincinnati Royals picked Abdul-Aziz as the fifth player overall in the 1968 NBA draft. During his first year, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. In 1970, he was traded again, this time to the Seattle SuperSonics. At first, Abdul-Aziz wasn't happy about the trade. But he ended up playing very well with the SuperSonics.
He had his best season during 1971–72. He scored about 13.8 points and grabbed 11.3 rebounds per game. Unfortunately, he had to stop playing that season because of a heart condition called pericarditis.
Changes and Challenges in Houston
Abdul-Aziz became a Muslim while playing for the SuperSonics. In September 1972, his contract was bought by the Houston Rockets. He was the team's main center before the 1974–75 season.
During a Rockets training camp, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan happened. Abdul-Aziz felt very weak because he was fasting. He told the team's general manager that he couldn't play. His father convinced him to return to the team. However, he lost his starting position and never played as a main center in the NBA again. Abdul-Aziz played his last three years as a backup player for different teams. He retired from basketball in 1978 when he was 32 years old.
Life After Basketball
After his NBA career, Zaid Abdul-Aziz coached the Saudi Arabia national basketball team. He also invested in a volleyball team called the Seattle Smashers in 1978 and 1979.
Abdul-Aziz went to Seattle University to study how to help people with certain challenges. He earned a special license for this work. After his playing career, he worked in Seattle to support others in making good choices.
Personal Life and Faith
As of 2011, Abdul-Aziz lived in Seattle with his wife, who was from Morocco. He has five children from two marriages. His son, Yusef Smith, played college basketball for the Seattle Pacific Falcons. Yusef also played professionally in Brazil.
Abdul-Aziz grew up as a Catholic. He shared that his journey to Islam began during a Milwaukee Bucks practice. His teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar asked him about a gold cross he was wearing. Abdul-Aziz realized he couldn't explain why he wore it. He then went to a library in Milwaukee to learn about different religions. He borrowed books like the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, the Quran, and the Torah. Abdul-Aziz said that "everything pointed me to Islam." He became a Muslim the next year.
In 2006, Abdul-Aziz wrote a book called Darkness to Sunlight. This book shares stories about his basketball career, his personal challenges, and his spiritual journey.
See also
In Spanish: Zaid Abdul-Aziz para niños
