Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

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Lore & Background

Drafted first overall by the one-season-old Milwaukee Bucks franchise in the 1969 NBA draft, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 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. Over his 20-year NBA career, his teams reached the playoffs 18 times and reached the NBA Finals ten times.

In Their Own Story

In 1971, at just 24 years old, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led the Milwaukee Bucks to their first NBA championship. After that championship, he took the Muslim name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. His trademark skyhook shot made him nearly impossible to defend, and he established himself as one of the league's top scorers during his six seasons with the Bucks.

Reader's Guide

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the cornerstone of the Milwaukee Bucks' championship legacy. As a center, his role was to dominate the paint both offensively and defensively, serving as the team's primary scoring option and defensive anchor. His arc during his time in Milwaukee is one of immediate ascension. He arrived as the first overall pick in the 1969 NBA draft and quickly led the Bucks to their first NBA championship in 1971 at age 24. His defining moments include that championship run, after which he took the Muslim name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Kareem's skills were defined by his unparalleled height advantage and his signature skyhook shot, which became the most unstoppable move in basketball history.

Did You Know?

• Abdul-Jabbar was born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. and weighed 12 lb 11 oz (5.75 kg) at birth.
• By the eighth grade (age 13–14), he had grown to 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) and could already dunk a basketball.
• He chose jersey number 33 in tribute to his favorite player, New York Giants fullback Mel Triplett.
• The dunk was banned in college basketball after his sophomore season in an attempt to curtail his dominance; critics dubbed it the 'Alcindor Rule.'
• He trained in Jeet Kune Do under Bruce Lee and appeared in Lee's film 'Game of Death' (1972).

Dominant Early Years and High School Legacy

Before his professional fame, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr., later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, established himself as a basketball phenomenon during his youth in Harlem. Born unusually large, he faced social isolation due to his towering height but channeled that experience into athletic dominance. Attending Power Memorial Academy, an all-boys Catholic school where he was one of the few Black students, Alcindor led his team to three consecutive city championships and a remarkable 71-game winning streak. His high school record included 2,067 total points, earning him the nickname 'The Tower from Power.' He wore jersey number 33 throughout his career as a tribute to New York Giants fullback Mel Triplett. Despite this success, his relationship with coach Jack Donohue soured in his final year after the coach called him a nigger. This period also sparked his political awakening; the 1964 Harlem riot, prompted by the fatal shooting of 15-year-old black boy James Powell by a New York police officer, radicalized him. He declared his intent to embody 'black rage personified, Black Power in the flesh,' setting a tone that would influence his identity beyond the court.

Unprecedented College Success at UCLA

Alcindor's decision to attend the University of California, Los Angeles, marked the beginning of a collegiate dynasty. Recruited by assistant coach Jerry Norman and encouraged by Jackie Robinson, he joined a program that would soon redefine college basketball. Standing 7-foot-1-inch tall, Alcindor led the Bruins to three consecutive national championships from 1967 to 1969. He was a record three-time most outstanding player of the NCAA tournament. His dominance was so absolute that the dunk was banned in college basketball after his sophomore season in an attempt to curtail his dominance; critics dubbed it the 'Alcindor Rule.' He was the first-ever Naismith College Player of the Year in 1969 and the only player to win the Helms Foundation Player of the Year award three times. His college career not only showcased his unique skill set but also provided a platform for his growing social consciousness before he entered the professional ranks.

Professional Career and Championship Glory

Drafted first overall by the one-season-old Milwaukee Bucks franchise in the 1969 NBA draft, Alcindor transformed into Kareem Abdul-Jabbar after converting to Islam. His six seasons with Milwaukee were historic, culminating in the franchise's first NBA championship in 1971 when he was just 24 years old. He utilized his signature skyhook shot, a move nearly impossible to block, to become one of the league's premier scorers. In 1975, a trade sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he spent the final 14 seasons of his career. This period defined the 'Showtime' era, as he helped guide the team to five additional championships. Over his remarkable 20-year tenure, Abdul-Jabbar reached the playoffs 18 times and the NBA Finals ten times. His accolades include a record six NBA MVP awards, 19 All-Star selections, 15 All-NBA Team memberships, 11 All-Defensive Team selections, and two NBA Finals MVP honors. He broke the NBA's career scoring record in 1984, and held it until 2023.

Retirement Records and Cultural Impact

Abdul-Jabbar retired at age 42 in 1989, holding career records for points (38,387), games played (1,560), minutes (57,446), field goals made (15,837), field goal attempts (28,307), blocked shots (3,189), defensive rebounds (9,394), and personal fouls (4,657). He ranks second in career points, minutes played and field goal attempts, and is third all-time in both total rebounds (17,440) and blocked shots. ESPN named him the greatest center of all time in 2007, the greatest player in college basketball history in 2008, and the second best player in NBA history (behind Michael Jordan) in 2016. Beyond the stats, he acted in films like 'Airplane!' and Bruce Lee's 'Game of Death,' practiced Jeet Kune Do under Bruce Lee, and wrote bestselling books. In 2012, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton selected him to be a U.S. global cultural ambassador. In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.