Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American basketball player widely recognized as one of the greatest in the history of basketball sports. He played for two decades in the NBA, primarily with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. He holds many records, including the all-time leading scorer in NBA history.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Biography
He was born as Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr to Cora Lillian and Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr. He changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when he converted to Islam in 1971.
He had his education at the prestigious Stuyvesant High School where he succeeded in both academics and athletics. He had more than a hundred offers of college scholarships but he chose the University of California, Los Angeles where he excelled and became a three time Final Four Most Outstanding Player at UCLA and three time NCAA champion while studying sociology and history and graduated in 1969.
While playing for the University of Los Angeles Bruins under Coach John Wooden from 1967 to 1969, he won three consecutive NCAA championships with the Bruins and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1969 Final Four. He scored 2,323.2 points with the UCLA Bruins.
The renowned basketball player is a prolific writer with over ten books in his name. His books include, “Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court”, “Mycroft Holmes”, “Brothers in Arms”, “Giant Steps”, “Writings On The Wall”, “Coach Wooden and Me” and so many others.
He is also the mastermind behind Skyhook Foundation which aims at helping kids develop STEM skills. STEM simply means Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Age, Birthday and Zodiac Sign
The phenomenal basketball player was born on the 16th of April, 1947 in Harlem, New York in the United States of America. As of 2023, he is 76 years and his zodiac sign is Aries.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Height and Weight
Kareem stands at a height of seven feet and an inch which is equivalent to 2.16 metres. He has a weight of 102 kilograms.
The Career of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Highlights
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a legendary basketball player who has won six NBA championships and six MVP awards. He is also a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Basketball Association 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Right after his college years where he played for the UCLA Bruins under Coach John Wooden, he was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the 1969 NBA draft and played for them till 1975, when he was drafted to the Los Angeles Lakers. He spent most of his career with the Lakers where he won five championships and four MVP awards. He is also known as the NBA’s all time leading scorer and field goals.
He retired from active playing in 1989 and settled for being an assistant coach for the Lakers till 1996. He later coached many teams in Asia and Europe including Barcelona, Fenerbahçe, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Barcelona. He later returned to Milwaukee Bucks in 2005 and is presently their head coach.
Aside from the sports world, he is a best selling author who has written over ten books and a martial artist who has featured in the film, “Game of Death(1972)” which is a Hong Kong based martial arts film.
READ ALSO: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s daughter: Meet Sultana Abdul-Jabbar.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Married Life and Children
The outstanding basketball player was once married to Habiba Abdul-Jabbar who was initially known as Janice Brown in 1971. They had three children: two daughters known as Habiba and Sultana and a son known as Kareem Jr. They divorced after seven years of marriage because he could not adapt into family life.
He later had two other children, Amira and Adam from a previous relationship.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Siblings
The famous retired NBA player was an only child. He has no siblings.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Parents
His parents are Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr. and Cora Lillian. His mother, Lillian, was a native of North Carolina but relocated to Harlem as part of the Great Migration. She worked as a department store price checker while his father, Ferdinand Lewis was born in New York City and served in the United States Army during World War II. He was also a jazz musician who played the piano and the saxophone and was a transit police officer too.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Net Worth And How He Makes His Money
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whose former name is Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr is speculated to be worth an estimated sum of twenty five million United States dollars($25m). He earned this from his career in the NBA. During his active years, he earned $7 million annually. He also makes money from his endorsement deals with prominent brands like McDonalds and Coca Cola.