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For the football player, see Karim Abdul-Jabbar. Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar, formerly known as Sharmon Shah and famously Karim Abdul-Jabbar (born June 28 1974, in Los Angeles California
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at the White House in 2006. See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence
Position(s):
Center		 Jersey #(s):
33
Height:
7 ft 2 in (2. The three basketball positions normally employed by organized Basketball teams are guard forward and center The center, colloquially the five, is one of the standard positions in a regulation Basketball game In team Sports the squad number, shirt number, jersey number, sweater number, or uniform number is the Number 18 m)		 Weight:
225 lb (102 kg)
Born: April 16, 1947 (1947-04-16) (age 61)
New York
Career information
Year(s): 1969–1989
NBA Draft: 1969 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1
College: UCLA
Professional teams
Career stats
Points     38,387
Rebounds     17,440
Blocks     3,189
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Career highlights and awards
Basketball Hall of Fame

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born April 16, 1947 as Fredrick Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr) is an American athlete and retired professional basketball player, widely considered one of the greatest NBA players of all time. Events 1178 BC - A Solar eclipse may have marked the return of Odysseus, legendary King of Ithaca, to his kingdom Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous In an organised Sports league, a season is the portion of one Year in which regulated Games of the sport are in session The NBA Draft is an annual North American event in which the National Basketball Association 's (NBA thirty teams (29 in the United States and one in The 1969 NBA Draft drastically changed the franchise fortunes of two teams This is a List of Athletic Conferences of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA The University of California Los Angeles (generally known as UCLA) is a public research university located in Westwood Los Angeles, California, United The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional Basketball team based in Milwaukee Wisconsin. The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA team based in Los Angeles, California. Points in Basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game A rebound in Basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or Free throw. In Basketball, a block (short for blocked shot) occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a shot from an offensive player The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each June The 1971 NBA Finals was the played at the conclusion of the NBA's Silver Anniversary season of 1970-71. The 1980 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1979-80 NBA season. The 1982 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1981-82 NBA season, the top level of competition in The 1985 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1984-85 NBA season. The 1987 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1986-87 NBA season. The 1988 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1987-88 NBA season. The National Basketball Association staged its first All-Star Game in the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. The National Basketball Association Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA award given since the 1969 NBA Finals. The 1971 NBA Finals was the played at the conclusion of the NBA's Silver Anniversary season of 1970-71. The 1985 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1984-85 NBA season. The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season The NBA All-Defensive Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA honor given since the 1968–69 NBA season to the best defensive players during the regular The NBA All-Defensive Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA honor given since the 1968–69 NBA season to the best defensive players during the regular The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top Rookies during the regular The 50 Greatest Players in National Basketball Association History (also referred to as the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team or NBA's Top 50) were chosen The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single elimination Tournament held each spring featuring 65 College basketball teams in the The 1967 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA The 1968 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA The 1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA At the conclusion of the NCAA men's and women's Division I Basketball championships (the "Final Four" tournaments the The 1967 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA The 1968 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA The 1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA The Naismith College Player of the Year award named for Basketball inventor James Naismith, is given annually by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to College The Oscar Robertson Trophy is given out annually to outstanding men's College basketball players by the United States Basketball Writers Association. Events 1178 BC - A Solar eclipse may have marked the return of Odysseus, legendary King of Ithaca, to his kingdom Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m During his 20 years in the NBA from 1969 to 1989, he scored 38,387 points – the highest total of any player in league history – in addition to winning a record six Most Valuable Player Awards. He was known for his "Skyhook" shot, which was famously difficult to block because it put his 7' 2" in body between the basket and the ball. A hook shot, in Basketball, is a play in which the offensive player usually turned perpendicular to the basket gently throws the ball with a sweeping motion of his arm Abdul-Jabbar's success began well before his professional career; in college, he played on three championship teams, and his high school team won 71 consecutive games.

Abdul-Jabbar (Alcindor at the time) grew up in the Inwood neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City, the son of Cora Lillian, a department store price checker, and Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Sr. The City of New York , a police officer and jazz musician. College took him to Los Angeles, and he returned there for 14 seasons in the NBA after six seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks. In 1971, several years after converting to Islam, he changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Since retiring from basketball, he has been known as a successful coach and author, and a sometimes actor.

Contents

Biography

Early life

Abdul-Jabbar was born on April 16, 1947 in the Inwood section of Manhattan, in New York City, the son of Cora Lillian, a department store price checker, and Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Sr. Events 1178 BC - A Solar eclipse may have marked the return of Odysseus, legendary King of Ithaca, to his kingdom Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The City of New York , a police officer and jazz musician. [1] He was their only child. At birth, he weighed 12 pounds, 10 ounces (5. 73 kg), and was twenty-two and a half inches (57. 2 cm) long. [2] He was raised as a Roman Catholic and attended St. Jude School in Inwood. [3] From an early age he began his record-breaking basketball accomplishments. In high school, he led Power Memorial Academy to three straight New York City Catholic championships, a 71-game winning streak, and a 96–6 overall record. He scored 2067 points in his high school career.

College

See also: List of college men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds

Heavily sought by collegiate basketball programs, he played for the UCLA Bruins from 1966 to 1969 under coach John Wooden, contributing to the team's three-year record of 88 wins and only two losses, one to Houston (see below) and the other to crosstown rival USC who played a "stall game" (i. The men's Division I collegiate basketball players who have reached both 2000 points and 1000 rebounds in their respective careers Numbers in italicized bold The University of California Los Angeles (generally known as UCLA) is a public research university located in Westwood Los Angeles, California, United John Robert Wooden (born October 14 1910) is a retired American Basketball coach e. , there was no shot clock, so a team could exploit the rules by, basically, holding the ball as long as it wanted before attempting to score). During his college career he was twice named Player of the Year (1967, 1969), was a three-time First Team All-American (1967-69), played on three NCAA Basketball champion teams (1967, 1968, 1969), was honored as the Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Tournament (1967, 1968, 1969), and became the first-ever Naismith College Player of the Year in 1969. NCAA Basketball (known as World League Basketball in Europe) and Super Dunk Shot in Japan is a Basketball Video game which The Naismith College Player of the Year award named for Basketball inventor James Naismith, is given annually by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to College In 1967, 1968 he also won USBWA College Player of the Year which later became the Oscar Robertson Trophy. The Oscar Robertson Trophy is given out annually to outstanding men's College basketball players by the United States Basketball Writers Association. The Oscar Robertson Trophy is given out annually to outstanding men's College basketball players by the United States Basketball Writers Association. Note: Freshmen were not eligible to play, so Alcindor only had 3 years to play, not four. The 1965-1966 UCLA Bruin team was the preseason #1. But on November 27 1965, the freshmen team led by Alcindor defeated the varsity team 75-60 in the first game in the new Pauley Pavilion. Edwin W Pauley Pavilion, informally and commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles California [4] This defeat had no effect on the varsity's national ranking. It was still number one the following week.

The dunk was banned in college basketball after the 1967 season, primarily because of Alcindor's dominant use of the shot. A slam dunk (or simply a dunk) is a type of Basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball downward through the basket [5]

While playing for UCLA, he suffered a scratched left cornea on January 12, 1968 at the Cal game when he got struck by Ted Henderson of Cal in a rebound battle. The cornea is the transparent front part of the Eye that covers the iris, Pupil, and Anterior chamber. Events 475 - Basiliscus becomes Byzantine Emperor, with a coronation ceremony in the Hebdomon palace in Constantinople Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [6] He would miss the next two games against Stanford and Portland. This happened right before the momentous game against Houston. His cornea later would be scratched again during his pro career and he would then wear goggles for protection. Goggles or safety glasses are forms of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the eye area in order to prevent particulates water or chemicals from

Game of the Century

Main article: Game of the Century (college basketball)

On January 20, 1968, Alcindor and the UCLA Bruins faced the Houston Cougars in the first-ever nationally televised regular season college basketball game. The Game of the Century in college Basketball was an NCAA historical game between the University of Houston Cougars and the UCLA Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Houston Cougars is the name given to the sports teams of the University of Houston. In front of a record 52,693 fans at the Houston Astrodome, Elvin Hayes scored 39 points and had 15 rebounds--while limiting Alcindor to just 15 points--as Houston beat UCLA 71-69. For the aeronautical use see Astrodome (aviation Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome Elvin Ernest Hayes (born November 17 1945 in Rayville Louisiana) is a retired American Basketball player The Bruins 47-game winning streak ended in what has been called the "Game of the Century". The Game of the Century in college Basketball was an NCAA historical game between the University of Houston Cougars and the UCLA Hayes and Alcindor would have a rematch in the 1968 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament where UCLA would defeat Houston in the semi-finals 101-69. The 1968 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA

School records

As of the 2007-2008 season, Abdul-Jabbar still holds a number of individual records at UCLA — remarkable, in part, because at the time freshmen were ineligible for varsity basketball:

Milwaukee Bucks

The Harlem Globetrotters offered him $1 million to play for them, but he declined, and was picked first in the 1969 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, only in their second season, who won the coin-toss for first pick over the Phoenix Suns. The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism and Comedy. The 1969 NBA Draft drastically changed the franchise fortunes of two teams The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional Basketball team based in Milwaukee Wisconsin. The Phoenix Suns are a professional Basketball team based in Phoenix Arizona. He was also chosen first overall in the 1969 American Basketball Association draft by the New York Nets. The American Basketball Association ( ABA) was a professional Basketball league founded in 1967, and eventually merged in part with the National The New Jersey Nets are a professional Basketball team in the National Basketball Association that plays in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic The Nets believed that they had the upper hand in receiving Kareem's services because he was from New York; however, when Kareem told both the Bucks and the Nets that he would accept one offer only from each team, the Nets bid too low. Thus, Kareem chose the NBA over the struggling ABA.

Lew Alcindor's entry into the NBA was timely, as center Bill Russell had just left the Boston Celtics, and Wilt Chamberlain, though still effective, was then 33 years old. William Felton "Bill" Russell (born February 12 1934 in Monroe, Louisiana) is a retired American professional Basketball The Boston Celtics are an American professional Basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, playing in the Atlantic Division of the Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain (August 21 1936&ndashOctober 12 1999 nicknamed Wilt the Stilt, The Big Dipper, and Chairman of the Boards Alcindor's presence enabled the 1969-70 Bucks to claim second place in the NBA's Eastern Division with a 56-26 record (up from 27-55 the previous year), and he was an instant star, ranking second in the league in scoring (28.8 ppg) and third in rebounding (14.5 rpg), for which he was awarded the title of NBA Rookie of the Year. The 1969–70 NBA Season was the 24th season of the National Basketball Association. This list exhibits the National Basketball Association 's top rookie single-season scoring averages This list exhibits the National Basketball Association 's top rookie single-season rebounding averages The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the

With the addition of Oscar Robertson, Milwaukee went on to record a league-best 66 victories in 1970-71, including a then-record of 20 straight wins. Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24 1938 in Charlotte Tennessee) nicknamed " The Big O " is a former American NBA player with The 1970–71 NBA season was the 25th season of the National Basketball Association. This is a list of the longest regular season winning streaks in National Basketball Association history Alcindor was awarded his first of six NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, along with his first scoring title (31. 7 ppg). In the playoffs, the Bucks went 12-2 (including a four-game sweep of the Baltimore Bullets in the NBA Finals), won the championship, and Alcindor was named Finals MVP. The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each June The National Basketball Association Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA award given since the 1969 NBA Finals. On May 1, 1971, the day after the Bucks won the NBA championship, he adopted the Arabic name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, meaning "noble, servant of the all-powerful [i. Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Abdul ( Arabic: عبد ال) (also transliterated Abdel, `Abd al- ( Arabic: عبد ال) and other ways e. , of Allah]. Allah ( Arabic: الله, ʔalˤːɑːh) is the standard Arabic word for ' "

Abdul-Jabbar remained a dominant force for Milwaukee, repeating as scoring champion (34.8 ppg) and NBA Most Valuable Player the following year, and helping the Bucks to repeat as division leaders for four straight years. This list exhibits the National Basketball Association 's top single-season scoring averages In 1973, Abdul-Jabbar won his third MVP Award in five years and was among the top five NBA players in scoring (27. 0 ppg, third), rebounding (14.5 rpg, fourth), blocked shots (283, second), and field goal percentage (. This list exhibits the National Basketball Association 's top rookie single-season rebounding averages 539, second).

While remaining relatively injury-free throughout his NBA career, Abdul-Jabbar twice broke his hand. The first time was during a pre-season game in 1974, when he was bumped hard and got his eye scratched, which angered him enough to punch the basket support stanchion. When he returned, after missing the first 16 games of the season, he started to wear protective goggles. The second time he broke his hand was in the opening game of the 1977-78 season. The 1977–78 NBA season was the 32nd season of the National Basketball Association. Two minutes into the game, Abdul-Jabbar punched Milwaukee's Kent Benson in retaliation for an overly aggressive elbow. The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional Basketball team based in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Michael Kent Benson (born December 27, 1954 in New Castle Indiana) is a retired American collegiate and professional Basketball player He was out for two months.

Although Abdul-Jabbar always spoke well of Milwaukee and its fans, he said that being in the Midwest did not fit his cultural needs and requested a trade to either New York or Los Angeles in October 1974. The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA team based in Los Angeles, California. [7]

Los Angeles Lakers

In 1975, the Lakers acquired Abdul-Jabbar and reserve center Walt Wesley from the Bucks for center Elmore Smith, guard Brian Winters, and rookie "blue chippers" Dave Meyers and Junior Bridgeman. Elmore Smith (born May 9, 1949 in Macon Georgia) is a retired American Basketball player Brian Joseph Winters (born March 1, 1952 in Rockaway New York) is a former NBA guard/forward coach and former WNBA head coach for others with a similar name see Dave Meyers David William (Dave Meyers (born April 21 1953 in San Diego California Ulysses Lee "Junior" Bridgeman (born September 17 1953, East Chicago Indiana) is a retired American Basketball player In the 1975-76 season, Jabbar's first season with Los Angeles, Abdul-Jabbar had a dominating season, averaging 27. 7 points per game and leading the league in rebounding, blocked shots, and minutes played. His 1,111 defensive rebounds remains the NBA single-season record (defensive rebounds were not recorded prior to the 1973-74 season). He earned his fourth MVP award, but missed the post-season for the second straight season.

Once he joined the Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar began wearing his trademark goggles. Years of battling under NBA backboards, and being hit and scratched in the face in the process, had taken their toll on his eyes and he developed corneal erosion syndrome, where the eyes begin to dry out easily and cease to produce moisture. He once missed a game in the 1986-87 season due to his eyes drying out and swelling as a result.

In the 1976-77 season, Abdul-Jabbar had another strong season. He led the league in field goal percentage, finished second in rebounds and blocked shots, and third in points per game. He helped lead the Lakers to the best record in the NBA, and he won his record tying fifth MVP award. In the playoffs, the Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semi-finals, setting up a confrontation with the Portland Trailblazers. The Golden State Warriors are an American professional Basketball team based in Oakland, California. The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, is an American professional Basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The result was a memorable matchup, pitting Abdul-Jabbar against a young, injury free Bill Walton. William Theodore "Bill" Walton III (born November 5 1952 is a retired American Basketball player and current Television Sportscaster Although Abdul-Jabbar dominated the series statistically, Walton and the Trailblazers (who were experiencing their first-ever run in the playoffs) swept the Lakers, behind Walton's skillful passing and leadership.

Abdul-Jabbar play remained strong during the next two seasons, being named to the All-NBA Second Team twice, the All-Defense First Team once, and the All-Defense Second Team once. The Lakers, however, continued to be stymied in the playoffs, being eliminated by the Seattle Supersonics in both 1978 and 1979. The Seattle SuperSonics (also called the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional Basketball team based in Seattle Washington that played

In 1979, the Lakers acquired 1st overall draft pick Earvin "Magic" Johnson. The trade and draft paved the way for a second Abdul-Jabbar dynasty as the Lakers went on to become the most dominant team of the 1980s, appearing in the finals eight times and winning five NBA championships. Individually, while Jabbar was not the dominant center he was in the 1970s, he experienced a number of highlight moments. Among them were his record sixth MVP award in 1980, four more All-NBA First Team designations, two more All-Defense First Team designations, the 1985 Finals MVP, and on April 5, 1984 he broke Wilt Chamberlain's record for career points.

While in L. A. , Abdul-Jabbar started doing yoga in 1976 to improve his flexibility, and was notable for his physical fitness regimen. Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the [8]

In 1983, Abdul-Jabbar's house burnt down, incinerating many of his belongings including his beloved jazz LP collection. Many Lakers fans sent and brought him albums, which he found uplifting. [9]

On June 28, 1989, after twenty professional seasons, Abdul-Jabbar announced his retirement. Events 1098 - Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosul. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) On his "retirement tour" he received standing ovations at all the games, home and away. In his biography My Life, Magic Johnson recalls that in Abdul-Jabbar's farewell game, many Lakers and Celtics legends participated. Every player wore Abdul-Jabbar's trademark goggles and had to try a sky hook at least once, which led to comic results. The Lakers made the NBA Finals in each of Abdul-Jabbar's final three seasons, defeating Boston in 1987, and Detroit in 1988. The Boston Celtics are an American professional Basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, playing in the Atlantic Division of the The Detroit Pistons are a team in the National Basketball Association based in the Detroit metropolitan area The Lakers lost, however, to the Pistons in a four game sweep in his final season. In his final season every NBA team gave him a present from a yacht that said "Captain Skyhook" to more traditional items as all of his framed jerseys of his basketball career to an Afghan rug.

Post-NBA career

Since 2005, Abdul-Jabbar has served as special assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. Abdul-Jabbar had been interested in coaching since his retirement, and given the influence he had on the league, he thought that the opportunity would present itself. However, during his playing years, Abdul-Jabbar had developed a reputation, however unjustifiable, of being introverted and sullen. He did not speak to the press, leading to the impression that he disliked them. In his biography My Life, Magic Johnson recalls instances when Abdul-Jabbar brushed him off when Magic (as a ballboy) asked for his autograph, Abdul-Jabbar froze out reporters who gave him a too enthusiastic handshake or even hugged him, or refused to stop reading the newspaper while giving an interview. Many basketball observers, in addition to Abdul-Jabbar, believe that Kareem's reticence, whether through disdain for the press corps or simply because of introversion, contributed to the dearth of coaching opportunities offered to Kareem by the NBA. In his words, he said he had a mindset he could not overcome, and proceeded through his career oblivious to the effect his reticence may have had on his coaching prospects in the future. Kareem said: "I didn't understand that I also had affected people that way and that's what it was all about. I always saw it like they were trying to pry. I was way too suspicious and I paid a price for it. "[10] Since he began lobbying for a coaching position in 1995, he has managed to obtain only low-level assistant and scouting jobs in the NBA, and a head coaching position only in a minor professional league.

Abdul-Jabbar has worked as an assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers and the Seattle SuperSonics, helping mentor, among others, their young centers, Michael Olowokandi and Jerome James. The Seattle SuperSonics (also called the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional Basketball team based in Seattle Washington that played Michael Olowokandi (born April 3 1975 in Lagos, Nigeria) nicknamed The Kandi Man, is a Nigerian professional Basketball Jerome Keith James (born November 17 1975 in Tampa Florida) is an American professional Basketball player who currently plays Abdul-Jabbar was the head coach of the Oklahoma Storm United States Basketball League in 2002, leading the team to the league's championship that season, but he failed to land the head coaching position at Columbia University a year later. The Oklahoma Storm was a United States Basketball League team located in Enid Oklahoma. Columbia University is a private University in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. [11] He then worked as a scout for the New York Knicks. "Talent scout" redirects here For talent scouting in the music industry see A&R Professional sports scouts are trained talent [12] Finally, on September 2, 2005, he returned to the Lakers as a special assistant to Phil Jackson to help the Lakers' centers, and in particular their young draftee Andrew Bynum. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Philip Douglas Jackson (born September 17 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana) is a retired American Basketball player and current coach of the Andrew Bynum (born October 27 1987 in Plainsboro, New Jersey) is an American professional Basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles [13] Abdul-Jabbar's influence has been credited with Bynum's emergence as a top level NBA center. Abdul-Jabbar has also served as a volunteer coach at Alchesay High School on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in Whiteriver, Arizona since 1998. The Fort Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona, United States, is an Indian Reservation encompassing parts of Gila County, Apache County Whiteriver ( Western Apache: Chʼílwozh) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. [14]

Acting career

Playing in Los Angeles facilitated Abdul-Jabbar's trying his hand at acting. An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works Abdul-Jabbar made his movie debut in Bruce Lee's posthumous 1978 film Game of Death, in which his character Hakim fought Billy Lo (played by Lee). Bruce Lee ( November 27 1940 – July 20 1973 was an American-born Martial artist, Philosopher, instructor, Martial arts actor and the The Game of Death ( was the film Bruce Lee had planned to be the demonstration piece of his martial art Jeet Kune Do. His character was the last and most dangerous guardian that Bruce Lee's character had to face. Bruce Lee ( November 27 1940 – July 20 1973 was an American-born Martial artist, Philosopher, instructor, Martial arts actor and the In the extended footage of the final fight scenes of the film (which was shot in 1973), which last about half an hour, Abdul-Jabbar and Lee fight on the highest level of a pagoda in which Lee's character had to fight his way up. From Lee's viewpoint, the highest level on the pagoda is where Jeet Kune Do, represented by Abdul-Jabbar himself, is found. Jeet Kune Do ( Chinese: 截[[Wiktionary 拳|拳]] 道 Cantonese: Jitkyùndou Pinyin: Jiéquándào, lit Through the entire fight, both men not only fight with an ease hard to obtain, but they both make it known neither of them fear death.

In 1980, he played co-pilot Roger Murdock in Airplane! Abdul-Jabbar has a memorable scene in which a little boy looks at him and remarks that he is in fact Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Airplane! is a 1980 American Comedy film directed and written by David Zucker Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker. Staying in character, Abdul-Jabbar states that he is merely Roger Murdock, an airline co-pilot, but the boy continues to insist that he is "the greatest", but that, according to his father, he doesn't "work hard on defense" and "never really tries, except during the playoffs". This causes Abdul-Jabbar's character to blow a fuse, grab the boy and snarl he has heard "that crap since UCLA", he "busts his buns every night" and the boy should tell his old man to "drag [Bill] Walton and [Bob] Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes". The University of California Los Angeles (generally known as UCLA) is a public research university located in Westwood Los Angeles, California, United William Theodore "Bill" Walton III (born November 5 1952 is a retired American Basketball player and current Television Sportscaster Robert Jerry "Bob" Lanier Jr (born September 10 1948 nicknamed The Dobber, is an American retired professional Basketball player for the Detroit When Murdock passes out later in the film, he is carried out wearing Abdul-Jabbar's goggles and yellow Lakers' shorts.

He has had numerous other TV and film appearances, often playing himself, including appearances in the movie Fletch, the sitcoms Full House, Living Single, Amen, Everybody Loves Raymond, Martin, Diff'rent Strokes (his height humorously contrasted with that of diminutive child star Gary Coleman), The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Scrubs. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic Fletch is a 1985 Comedy film about a wisecracking investigative newspaper reporter Irwin M Full House is an American Television sitcom that originally ran from September 22 1987 to May 23 1995 on ABC. Living Single is an American Television sitcom,First named My Girls which aired for five seasons on the FOX Television network Amen is an American Television Sitcom produced by Carson Productions that ran from September 27, 1986 to Everybody Loves Raymond is an Emmy Award -winning American Television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13 Martin is an American sitcom produced by HBO Independent Productions (a subsidiary of HBO) that aired for five seasons from August 27 Diff'rent Strokes is a popular American sitcom that aired on the NBC Television network from November 3, 1978 Gary Wayne Coleman (born February 8, 1968) is an American Actor, best known for his role as Arnold Jackson in the American sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an award winning American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10 1990 to May 20 1996 Scrubs is an Emmy and Peabody Award -winning American Comedy-drama that premiered on October 2 2001 on NBC. He also appeared in the telemovie version of Stephen King's The Stand, played himself in Slam Dunk Ernest, the aforementioned Full House and a brief non-speaking cameo appearance in BASEketball. Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American Author, Screenwriter, Musician, Columnist, The Stand is a Post-apocalyptic horror / Science fiction Novel by Stephen King originally published in 1978 Slam Dunk Ernest is a 1995 Comedy film, the eighth full-length feature film starring Jim Varney as Ernest P BASEketball is a 1998 David Zucker comedy Feature film starring South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone Kareem was also the co-executive producer of the 1994 TV movie, The Vernon Johns Story. Vernon Johns ( April 22, 1892 – June 11, 1965) was an American minister and Civil rights leader who was active In 2008 Kareem appeared on the Colbert Report as a stage manager who was sent out on a mission to find Nazi Gold. The Colbert Report (/kolˈbɛr rəˈpɔr/&mdashthe t is silent in "Colbert" is a Peabody Award and Emmy Award winning American [15]

Player profile

Abdul-Jabbar played the center position and is regarded as one of the best players of all time. He is the all-time leading NBA scorer with 38,387 points, having collected six titles, six regular season MVP and two Finals MVP awards, fifteen NBA First or Second Teams, a record nineteen NBA All-Star call-ups and averaging 24. 6 points, 11. 2 rebounds, 3. 6 assists and 2. 6 blocks per game. He is also the third all-time in registered blocks (3,189), which is even more impressive because this stat had not been recorded until the fourth year of his career (1974).

On offense, Abdul-Jabbar was an unstoppable low-post threat. In contrast to other low-post dominators like Wilt Chamberlain, Artis Gilmore or Shaquille O'Neal, Abdul-Jabbar was a relatively slender player, standing 7-2 but only weighing 225 lbs. Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain (August 21 1936&ndashOctober 12 1999 nicknamed Wilt the Stilt, The Big Dipper, and Chairman of the Boards Artis Gilmore (born September 21 1949 is a former professional Basketball player in the American Basketball Association (ABA and National Basketball Association Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (born March 6 1972 frequently referred to simply as " Shaq " is an African American Professional basketball However, he made up for his relative lack of bulk by showing textbook finesse, strength and was famous for his ambidextrous skyhook shot (see below), which defenders found impossible to block. It contributed to his high . 559 field goal accuracy, making him the eighth most accurate scorer of all time[16] and a feared clutch shooter. Abdul-Jabbar was also quick enough to run the "Showtime" fast break led by Magic Johnson and was well-conditioned, standing on the hardwood an average 36. 8 minutes. In contrast to other big men, Abdul-Jabbar also could reasonably hit his free throws, finishing with a career 72% average.

On defense, Abdul-Jabbar maintained a dominant presence. He was selected to the NBA All-Defensive Team eleven times. He frustrated opponents with his superior shot-blocking ability, denying an average 2. 6 shots a game.

As a teammate, Abdul-Jabbar exuded natural leadership and was affectionately called "Cap" or "Captain" by his colleagues. He was also known for his strict fitness regime, which made him one of the most durable players of all time. In the NBA, his 20 seasons and 1,560 games are performances surpassed only by fellow legend Robert Parish. Robert Lee Parish (born in Shreveport Louisiana) is a retired American Basketball center.

Abdul-Jabbar made the NBA's 35th and 50th Anniversary Teams and in 1996 was named one of the 50 Greatest Players of All Time.

Sky hook

Abdul-Jabbar was well known for his trademark "sky hook", a hook shot in which he bent his entire body (rather than just the arm) like a straw in one fluid motion to raise the ball and then release it at the highest point of his arm's arcing motion. A hook shot, in Basketball, is a play in which the offensive player usually turned perpendicular to the basket gently throws the ball with a sweeping motion of his arm Combined with his long arms and great height in which he stood 7 feet 2 inches tall, the sky hook was nearly impossible for a defender to block without goaltending. For the article about goaltending in Ice hockey, see Goaltender. Only a few have blocked his legendary skyhook, including basketball greats Wilt Chamberlain and Hakeem Olajuwon. Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain (August 21 1936&ndashOctober 12 1999 nicknamed Wilt the Stilt, The Big Dipper, and Chairman of the Boards Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (born on January 21 1963 is a retired Nigerian American professional Basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA It was a reliable and feared offensive weapon and contributed to his high lifetime field goal percentage of . 559. As a twist, he was adept at shooting the skyhook with either hand, which made him even more difficult to defend. According to Abdul-Jabbar, he learned the move in fifth grade and soon learned to value it, as it was "the only shot I could use that didn't get smashed back in my face". [17]

Photo of the famous Hook shot in 1987: [1]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with a right-handed hook shot over Hakeem Olajuwon in his final season: [2]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Blog: How to Shoot a Sky Hook: [3]

Professional basketball career and statistics

Teams and years

Statistics

Athletic honors

Books authored

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at a book signing.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at a book signing.

Abdul-Jabbar is also a bestselling author, the latest of his books being On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance. His previous book, co-written with Anthony Walton, was Brothers In Arms: The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes (Publisher: Broadway 2004, ISBN 0-385-50338-5), the history of the 761st Battalion, an all-black armored unit that served in Europe in World War Two. Anthony Walton (1960-present is an American Poet and Writer. He is perhaps best known as the author of a chapbook of poems Cricket Weather and for his non-fiction The 761st Tank Battalion, was a United States Army Tank Battalion during World War II.

Other books:

Audio Book:

Personal life

Abdul-Jabbar was married to Habiba Abdul-Jabbar (nee Janice Brown), and together they had three children: daughters Habiba and Sultana and son Kareem. They were divorced in 1978. He has another son Amir with Cheryl Pistono. Another child was his son Adam, who made an appearance on the TV sitcom Full House with his father. Full House is an American Television sitcom that originally ran from September 22 1987 to May 23 1995 on ABC. He has also previously dated actress Pam Grier. An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works Pamela Suzette "Pam" Grier (born May 26, 1949) is an American Actress. [19].

Speaking about the thinking behind his change of name when he converted to Islam he said to Playboy magazine that he was "latching on to something that was part of my heritage, because many of the slaves who were brought here were Muslims. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Playboy is an American Men's magazine, founded in Chicago Illinois, by Hugh Hefner and his associates which has grown into Playboy My family was brought to America by a French planter named Alcindor, who came here from Trinidad in the 18th Century. My people were Yoruba, and their culture survived slavery (. The Yoruba (Yo•row•ba ( Yorùbá in Yoruba Orthography) are one of the largest ethno-linguistic or Ethnic groups in West Africa As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another . . ) My father found out about that when I was a kid, and it gave me all I needed to know that, hey, I was somebody, even if nobody else knew about it. When I was a kid, no one would believe anything positive that you could say about black people. And that's a terrible burden on black people, because they don't have an accurate idea of their history, which has been either suppressed or distorted. "[20]

Abdul-Jabbar reached a settlement after suing Miami Dolphins running back Karim Abdul-Jabbar (now Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar, born Sharmon Shah) because he felt Karim was sponging off the name he made famous by having the Abdul-Jabbar moniker and number 33 on Dolphins jerseys, even though names are not protectable under U.S. copyright laws. The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami Florida Metropolitan Area. Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar, formerly known as Sharmon Shah and famously Karim Abdul-Jabbar (born June 28 1974, in Los Angeles California United States copyright law governs the legally enforceable rights of creative and artistic works in the United States. As a result the younger Abdul-Jabbar had to change his jersey nameplate to simply 'Abdul' while playing for the Dolphins. [21] The football player had also been an athlete at UCLA.

Kareem suffers from migraines,[22] and his use of cannabis to reduce the symptoms has caused legal ramifications. Migraine is a neurological Syndrome characterized by altered bodily experiences painful headaches and nausea Cannabis, also known as marijuana or marihuana, or ganja (from Hindi / Sanskrit: गांजा gānjā hemp) is a [23]

Appearances in the media

Sports Illustrated

* as Lew Alcindor[24]

See also

References

  1. ^ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Biography (1947-)
  2. ^ African American Registry: Mr. Basketball and much more, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar!
  3. ^ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Interview --Page 5/8-- Academy of Achievement. The following is a list of individual National Basketball Association scoring leaders by season. Retrieved on 2007-06-10. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem
  4. ^ Florence, Mal - Who's No. 1? UCLA Frosh Too Hot for Varsity, 75-60. Los Angeles Times, November 28, 1965. Quote:Lew Alcindor strode onto the Pauley Pavilion court Saturday night and captured the town, completely demoralizing the UCLA varsity basketball team in the process.
  5. ^ Lew's Still Loose. Time Magazine, April 14, 1967. Quote:First there was the Wilt Chamberlain Rule, designed to force him away from the basket by widening the "3-sec. zone," in which an offensive player can remain for only 3 sec. at a time. Next came the Bill Russell Rule, which forbids blocking a shot when the ball is on its downward course. Now there is the Lew Alcindor Rule. College basketball's rules makers decided last week that players may no longer "sky-hook" or "stuff" the ball by ramming it through the hoop from directly above.
  6. ^ Jeff Prugh - Bruins win again without Alcindor. Big Lew Sidelined By Eye Injury Suffered in Game against Bears. Los Angeles Times, January 14, 1968
  7. ^ Say It Ain't So Milwaukee Bucks (2001-05-30). Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Events 1416 - The Council of Constance, called by the Emperor Sigismund a supporter of Antipope John XXIII burns Jerome of Prague following Retrieved on 2007-06-10. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem
  8. ^ http://www.yogaexpo.com/press/press27.htm
  9. ^ http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2006/01/talking_with_ka_1.html.
  10. ^ Lakers Blog : Los Angeles Times : Talking with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Part I
  11. ^ Jonathan Lemire. "Keeping Up", 2004-01. Retrieved on 2007-06-10. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem  
  12. ^ Doug Cantor (2004-06-01). "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Esquire: Q + A: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Retrieved on 2007-06-10. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem
  13. ^ LAKERS: Lakers hire Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as Special Assistant Coach (2005-09-02). Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Retrieved on 2007-06-10. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem
  14. ^ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Volunteers As High School Coach On Indian Reservation in Arizona (1998-11-23). Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Events 800 - Charlemagne arrives at Rome to investigate the alleged crimes of Retrieved on 2007-06-10. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem
  15. ^ Monday Mar 31 2008 | The Colbert Report | Comedy Central
  16. ^ Career Leaders and Records for Field Goal Pct - Basketball-Reference.com
  17. ^ Lakers Blog : Los Angeles Times : Talking with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Part II
  18. ^ JOHN MARSHALL: Abdul-Jabbar Honored by College Hall Associated Press. November 18, 2007.
  19. ^ http://ps1.sportsline.com/b/member/playboy/8606_b9.html
  20. ^ Sportsline
  21. ^ Find Articles
  22. ^ TRANSFERRING A HEADACHE - New York Times
  23. ^ BBC SPORT | OTHER SPORTS | Abdul-Jabbar in drug arrest
  24. ^ 18 06 History I.indd

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Official Website

External links

Persondata
NAME Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Basketball player
DATE OF BIRTH 1947-4-16
PLACE OF BIRTH Harlem, New York
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, long known as a major African American cultural and business center New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous
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