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Updated on July 24th 2022, 5:34:05 pm

Kareem Abdul Jabbar – Biography, stats, facts, and achievements

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is an American former professional basketball player and current assistant coach. He played 20 seasons for the Lakers and Bucks. Read here his Biography, stats, facts, and achievements.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr. on April 16, 1947) is an American former professional basketball player and current assistant coach. He was known as Lew Alcindor before changing his name in the fall of 1971, several years after converting to Islam. He is considered one of the greatest players of all time. He has also had numerous television and movie appearances. Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr., was born in Harlem, New York City, on April 16, 1947. His family was not poor: His father was a graduate of the famed Juilliard School of Music in virtuoso trombone. He attended Power Memorial High School in New York. Alcindor went to college at UCLA. When he played on the freshman team, it beat the UCLA varsity team that had won two national championships. When he played on the varsity team, it won three national championships. When Alcindor was at UCLA, the NCAA did not allow the dunk, so he developed a hook shot called the skyhook. Alcindor also got a degree in history


Kareem Abdul Jabbar Biography:


Alcindor was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1969 NBA Draft. He lead the league in scoring twice with the Bucks. He also won three MVP awards with them. In 1975, Abdul-Jabbar was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He won three more MVP awards with them, as well as five championships. Abdul-Jabbar played in the NBA until 1989. When he left, he had scored 38,387 points, which is more than any other player has. He was also one of the ten most accurate players, and blocked the third-most shots. Abdul-Jabbar was placed in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.


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Kareem Abdul Jabbar Stats:


Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played 20 seasons for the Lakers and Bucks. He averaged 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.6 blocks in 1,560 regular-season games. He was selected to play in 19 All-Star games. He won the Rookie of the Year award, 6 MVP awards, 2 Finals MVP awards and 6 NBA championships. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.


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Kareem Abdul Jabbar Facts:


  • Member of three UCLA Bruins national championship teams, 1967, 1968 and 1969.

  • Known for his "skyhook" shot, which he developed as a response to the NCAA ban on the dunk shot. It is a difficult shot to defend as the ball is released at the top of the arc.

  • After converting to Islam in 1971, he changed his name from Lew Alcindor Jr. to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In Arabic, his name means a noble and powerful servant of Allah.

  • Wearing number 33, the seven-foot-two-inch center was selected to 19 NBA All-Star games during 20 seasons in the pros, five times with the Milwaukee Bucks and 14 times with the Los Angeles Lakers.

  • Won six NBA championships: once with the Milwaukee Bucks, in 1971, and five times with the Los Angeles Lakers, in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988.

  • Won six NBA MVP awards: 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980.

  • Career NBA records include most field goals made: 15,837; most points: 38,387; and most minutes played: 57,446.

  • He has authored several biographical and cultural books, has written articles for various magazines and newspapers, and has appeared in numerous films and TV shows.

  • He studied under his friend, the late martial artist Bruce Lee, in the 1960s, and appeared with him in the film, "Game of Death," in 1978.


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Kareem Abdul Jabbar Achievements:


Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 1995

6-time NBA champion: 1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988

10 NBA Finals appearances: 1971, 1974, 1980, 1982–1985, 1987–1989

6-time NBA Most Valuable Player: 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980

2-time scoring champion: 1971, 1972

1-time rebounding leader: 1976

4-time blocks leader: 1975–1976, 1979–1980

1-time field goal percentage leader: 1977

19-time NBA All-Star: 1970–1977, 1979–1989

2-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: 1971, 1985

15-time All-NBA selection:

First Team: 1971–1974, 1976–1977, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1986

Second Team: 1970, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1985

11-time All-Defensive selection:

First Team: 1974, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1981

Second Team: 1970, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1984

NBA All-Rookie selection:

First Team: 1970

NBA Rookie of the Year: 1970

6-time The Sporting News Most Valuable Player: 1971, 1972, 1974,1976, 1977, 1980

Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year: 1985

Ranked #7 by SLAM Magazine's Top 50 Players of All-time

Selected in 1996 as one of the "50 Greatest Players in NBA History"

Selected in 1996 as member of one of the "Top 10 Teams in NBA History"

1986–87 Los Angeles Lakers (65–17; .793)

 

A statue of Abdul-Jabbar was unveiled in front of Staples Center on Chick Hearn Court in Los Angeles on November 16, 2012.

 

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