Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Biography

Fast Facts

• Was appointed to the President's Council on Sports and Fitness by President Barack Obama in 2016
• Is the first African American to be appointed to the Citizens Coin Advisory Council
• Was named one of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996
• When he retired from the NBA in 1989, no other player had ever scored more points, blocked more shots, won more MVP awards, played in more All-Star Games or logged more seasons
• Was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016
• Was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995
• Played for John Wooden's Bruins during his time at UCLA, helping the team win three national championships
• As a teenager, he worked as a journalist with the Harlem Youth Action Project
• The Milwaukee Bucks made him the first overall choice in the 1969 NBA Draft
• Quote: "The '80s made up for all the abuse I took during the '70s․ I outlived all my critics․ By the time I retired, everybody saw me as a venerable institution․ Things do change․"
• Quote: "I'm the baddest among the bad guys․"
• During his time in the NBA, he helped bring grace, agility and versatility to the center position, which had traditionally only been characterized by power and size
• Known for making baskets with his trademark "sky-hook․"
• His fitness regimen during his time in the NBA included practicing yoga and martial arts and meditating before every game
• Because of his dominance in college, the NCAA banned dunking in games
• Has contributed columns to The Washington Post, Time Magazine and The Hollywood Reporter