Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Birth Name:
Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor
Birth Place:
New York City, New York, United States
Profession
Actor, Producer, Writer
Fast Facts
- Is the first African American to be appointed to the Citizens Coin Advisory Council
- Was appointed to the President's Council on Sports and Fitness by President Barack Obama in 2016
- Was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016
- Was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995
- 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
- 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: "I'm the baddest among the bad guys․"
- 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․"
- 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․"
- 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
- His fitness regimen during his time in the NBA included practicing yoga and martial arts and meditating before every game
Awards
- 2020Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Narrator:Nominated
- 2022Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Narrator:Nominated