Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
	Abdul-Jabbar in 2014
Personal information
Born	April 16, 1947 (age 77); New York City, New York, U.S.
Listed height	7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
Listed weight	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school	Power Memorial; (New York City, New York)
College	UCLA (1966–1969)
NBA draft	1969: 1st round, 1st overall pick
	Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks
Playing career	1969–1989
Position	Center
Number	33
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)
	Stats at NBA.com
	Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
	Basketball Hall of Fame as player
	College Basketball Hall of Fame; Inducted in 2006

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (/kəˈriːm æbˈduːl dʒəˈbɑːr/ kə-REEM ab-DOOL jə-BAR; born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. (/ælˈsɪndər/ al-SIN-dər); April 16, 1947) is an American former professional basketball player who played 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. During his career as a center, Abdul-Jabbar was a record six-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP). 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).^[1] Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time,^[2]^[3]^[4] he was called the greatest basketball player of all time by Pat Riley, Isiah Thomas, and Julius Erving.^[5]^[6]^[7] Abdul-Jabbar broke the NBA's career scoring record in 1984 with 38,387 points, and held it until LeBron James surpassed him in 2023.

Abdul-Jabbar was known as Lew Alcindor when he played at parochial high school Power Memorial 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 under head coach John Wooden.^[8] Alcindor 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 additional 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 succeeded in making the playoffs 18 times and got past the first round 14 times; his teams reached the NBA Finals on ten occasions.^[1]^[9]

At the time of his retirement at age 42 in 1989, Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA's regular season career leader in 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 remains the all-time leader in minutes played and field goals made. He ranks second in career points and field goal attempts, and is third all-time in both total rebounds (17,440) and blocked shots.^[10] ESPN named him the greatest center of all time in 2007,^[2] the greatest player in college basketball history in 2008,^[11] and the second best player in NBA history (behind Michael Jordan) in 2016.^[4] Abdul-Jabbar has also been an actor, a basketball coach, a best-selling author,^[12]^[13] and a martial artist, having trained in Jeet Kune Do under Bruce Lee and appeared in his film Game of Death (1972).^[14] In 2012, Abdul-Jabbar was selected by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to be a U.S. global cultural ambassador.^[15] In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.^[16]

^ ^a ^b "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Bio". NBA.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2016.
^ ^a ^b "The Game's Greatest Giants Ever". ESPN. March 6, 2007. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
^ Aikins, Mike (December 27, 2010). "The Greatest Player in NBA History: Why Kareem Abdul-Jabbal Deserves the Title". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
^ ^a ^b "All-Time #NBArank: Kareem No. 2". ESPN. February 10, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
^ Mitchell, Fred (March 23, 2012). "NBA's best all-time player? You be the judge". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
^ Dilbeck, Steve (April 1, 2013). "The growing pains for seven-footer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar". The National. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
^ "Julius Erving interview". Grantland. December 20, 2013. Archived from the original on December 20, 2013. Retrieved April 11, 2014 – via YouTube.
^ "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Biography and Interview". Achievement.org. American Academy of Achievement. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
^ "Legends profile: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar". NBA.com. September 13, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
^ Cite error: The named reference br was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "25 Greatest Players in College Basketball". ESPN. March 8, 2008. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
^ "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar". IMDb.cm. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
^ "Books by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar". Amazon.com. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
^ Cite error: The named reference Raymond 2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar named U.S. global cultural ambassador". Los Angeles Times. January 19, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
^ "President Obama Names Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom". Whitehouse.gov. November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2016 – via National Archives.

[nba_encyc_bio-1] "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Bio". NBA.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2016.

[The_Game's_Greatest_Giants_Ever-2] "The Game's Greatest Giants Ever". ESPN. March 6, 2007. Retrieved December 5, 2013.

[3] Aikins, Mike (December 27, 2010). "The Greatest Player in NBA History: Why Kareem Abdul-Jabbal Deserves the Title". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 3, 2013.

[All-Time_#NBArank-4] "All-Time #NBArank: Kareem No. 2". ESPN. February 10, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2016.

[Mitchell_article-5] Mitchell, Fred (March 23, 2012). "NBA's best all-time player? You be the judge". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 6, 2021.

[6] Dilbeck, Steve (April 1, 2013). "The growing pains for seven-footer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar". The National. Retrieved June 3, 2013.

[Julius_Erving_interview-7] "Julius Erving interview". Grantland. December 20, 2013. Archived from the original on December 20, 2013. Retrieved April 11, 2014 – via YouTube.

[8] "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Biography and Interview". Achievement.org. American Academy of Achievement. Retrieved April 1, 2022.

[9] "Legends profile: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar". NBA.com. September 13, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2022.

[br-10] Cite error: The named reference br was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[11] "25 Greatest Players in College Basketball". ESPN. March 8, 2008. Retrieved December 5, 2021.

[12] "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar". IMDb.cm. Retrieved June 3, 2013.

[13] "Books by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar". Amazon.com. Retrieved June 3, 2013.

[Raymond_2021-14] Cite error: The named reference Raymond 2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[15] "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar named U.S. global cultural ambassador". Los Angeles Times. January 19, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2013.

[16] "President Obama Names Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom". Whitehouse.gov. November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2016 – via National Archives.

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Personal information
Abdul-Jabbar in 2014
Born	(1947-04-16) April 16, 1947 (age 77) New York City, New York, U.S.
Listed height	7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
Listed weight	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school	Power Memorial (New York City, New York)
College	UCLA (1966–1969)
NBA draft	1969: 1st round, 1st overall pick
Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks
Playing career	1969–1989
Position	Center
Number	33
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)

Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Basketball Hall of Fame as player
College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006