Quick Info
| Profession | Former professional basketball player, author, actor and coach |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Date of Birth | 16/04/1947 |
| Age | 79 years |
| Birthplace | Harlem, New York City, New York, USA |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
Latest News about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
23/05/2026
The NBA named Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo the 2025-26 Social Justice Champion, an annual award named after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar that honors a current player for advancing social justice. Adebayo received a $100,000 donation from the NBA for the Bam, Books & Brotherhood Foundation, his chosen non-profit.
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Bio/Wiki
| Born Name | Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. |
|---|---|
| Former Name | Lew Alcindor (until 1971) |
| Overview | Former NBA center who played 20 seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers, known for his skyhook shot and for holding the league's all-time scoring record for many years. |
| Honours | Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016); namesake of the NBA Social Justice Champion award, first presented in 2026 |
Physical Stats & More
| Height | 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) |
|---|---|
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Position | Center |
Educational Qualification(s)
| High School | Power Memorial High School, New York City |
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| College | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he played for coach John Wooden and won three NCAA championships (1967–69) |
Personal Life
| Religion | Converted to Islam during his playing years |
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| Name Change | Adopted the name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1971 |
| Interests | Acting, writing, jazz and martial arts |
Relationships & More
| Martial Arts Mentor | Bruce Lee, under whom he trained in Jeet Kune Do |
|---|---|
| Teammates | Magic Johnson with the Los Angeles Lakers |
Family
| Father | Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr., a transit police officer and jazz musician |
|---|---|
| Mother | Cora Lillian Alcindor |
Career
| High School and College | Dominated at Power Memorial High School and UCLA before turning professional |
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| NBA Teams |
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| Achievements | Six-time NBA Most Valuable Player, six NBA championships as a player, two NBA Finals MVP awards, 19-time NBA All-Star, and retired as the league's all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points |
| Post-Playing Career | Assistant coach with the Lakers, author of nonfiction and fiction (including the 2025 memoir We All Want to Change the World), actor, and U.S. global cultural ambassador (appointed 2012) |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Appeared in the film Airplane! and in Bruce Lee's Game of Death (1972) | |
| 2. Founded Cranberry Records, a jazz label | |
| 3. Wrote the autobiography Giant Steps | |
| 4. Was known as 'The Big A' before his name change | |
| 5. Was inducted among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996 |
