Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

The skyhook legend who redefined the center position.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr., April 16, 1947) is an American former professional basketball player who was a center for 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins. A member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Abdul-Jabbar won a record six NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards. He was a 19-time NBA All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA Team member, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection. He was a member of six NBA championship teams as a player and two more as an assistant coach, and was twice voted the NBA Finals MVP. He was named to three NBA anniversary teams (35th, 50th, and 75th). Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Abdul-Jabbar broke the NBA's career scoring record in 1984, and held it until 2023.

Quick Facts

Born: 16 April 1947
Birthplace: New York City, New York, U.S.
College: UCLA (1966–1969)
Draft round: 1
Drafted by: Milwaukee Bucks
Career position: Center
Career number: 33
Coach start: 1998

Lore & Background

Abdul-Jabbar was known as Lew Alcindor when he played at Power Memorial, a private Catholic high school in New York City, where he led their team to 71 consecutive wins. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins, winning three consecutive national championships. Abdul-Jabbar was a record three-time most outstanding player of the NCAA tournament. Drafted with the first overall pick by the one-season-old Milwaukee Bucks franchise in the 1969 NBA draft, he spent six seasons with the team.

After leading the Bucks to their first NBA championship at age 24 in 1971, he took the Muslim name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Using his trademark skyhook shot, he established himself as one of the league's top scorers. In 1975, he was traded to the Lakers, with whom he played the final 14 seasons of his career, during which time the team won five NBA championships. Abdul-Jabbar's contributions were a key component in the Showtime era of Lakers basketball. Over his 20-year NBA career, his teams reached the playoffs 18 times and reached the NBA Finals ten times.

Reader's Guide

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wore jersey number 33 throughout his college and professional career. He chose it in tribute to his favorite player, New York Giants fullback Mel Triplett.

Did You Know?

At the time of his retirement, he was the NBA's regular season career leader in points, games played, minutes, field goals made, field goal attempts, blocked shots, defensive rebounds, and personal fouls.
He appeared in the film Airplane! as Roger Murdock, a pilot who is repeatedly mistaken for Abdul-Jabbar.