The Unyielding Longevity of Kareem Abdul Jabbar

The story of the man voted by ESPN as the “greatest center of all time.”

Kareem Abdul Jabbar played for 20 seasons in the NBA on only two teams. Playing at the center position, the seven foot two inch Jabbar had six NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, 19 NBA All-Star selections, 15 All-NBA selections and 11 NBA All-Defensive Team selections. As the winner of six NBA championships, Jabbar was voted NBA Finals MVP twice.

• ESPN called Jabbar the “greatest center of all time”
• Alcindor was the first to receive the Naismith College Player of the Year award
• Jabbar still holds the NBA single season record of 1,111 defensive rebounds

Jabbar played for the Milwaukee Bucks for six seasons where he won his first NBA championship. In addition, he played 14 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers where he won five championships. When he retired, Jabbar score the NBA all time record of 38,387 points,1,560 games played, 57,446 minutes played, 28,307 field goal attempts, 3,189 blocked shots and 9,394 defensive rebounds. ESPN called him the “greatest center of all time” making US gambling news.

Alcindor, the high school phenom and unstoppable college player

Lew Alcindor Jr. was born in 1947 in New York City. Weighing 5.73 kg, Alcindor was 57.2 cm at birth. While attending a Catholic high school in Manhattan, Alcindor, at a modest six foot eight inches, started getting accolades as he won three consecutive New York City Catholic Championships. Winning 71 straight games, Alcindor’s school had a 79-2 record and won the national high school boys basketball championship.

As a freshman at the University of California at Los Angeles, Alcindor was only allowed to play on the freshman team. The next year he played for the “Wizard” John Wooden helping UCLA 88 games and losing only twice in three years. Alcindor was named Player of the Year twice, three-time first team All-American and played on three championship teams. In 1969, Alcindor was the first ever recipient of the Naismith College Player of the Year award.

Alcindor was the only player to win the Helms Foundation Player of the Year award three times. The dunk was banned from college basketball after 1967 as a way to handicap Alcindor’s dominance in the paint. The UCLA Bruins faced the Houston Cougars in what was called the “game of the century.” Alcindor, who was pitted against Elvin Hayes, had a scratched cornea and was held to 15 as Hayes dominated with 39.

Alcindor converted to Muslim in 1968 and boycotted the 1968 Summer Olympics by not joining the U.S Men’s Olympic Basketball Team because of the unequal treatment of Black Americans in the U.S. In 1969, UCLA would defeat Houston in the NCAA tournament 101-69 and went on to win the tournament. This would have earned anybody as much as US gambling laws would allow. In his spare time, Alcindor trained under the Martial Artist Bruce Lee and made an appearance in his film “The Game of Death.”

Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s NBA career

Declining a USD 1 million offer by the Harlem Globetrotters, Alcindor entered the NBA as the number one draft pick. Interestingly enough, the New York Nets of the ABA drafted Alcindor as well. Giving preference to only one team, Milwaukee Bucks gave Alcindor an offer faster. Refusing to “feel like a flesh peddler”, Alcindor declined the USD 3.25 million offer from the Nets.

With Bill Russell retiring and Wilt Chamberlain getting older, Alcindor entered the league as an instant star averaging 28.8 points per game, 14.5 rebounds. The next year the Buck acquired Oscar Robertson and were able to win the championship. After winning the MVP and the Finals MVP, Alcindor changed his name to Kareem Abdul Jabbar. The following year, Jabbar repeated all of his achievements again except for the championship. Jabbar left Milwaukee because he didn’t feel the Midwest suited him.

In 1975 Jabbar joined the Los Angeles Lakers and averaged 27.7 points per game and led the league in rebounding, blocked shots and minutes played. He also still holds the NBA single season record of 1,111 defensive rebounds. Jabbar developed corneal erosion syndrome and had to play with goggle for the rest of this career. The Lakers couldn’t advance in the playoff for two years until Magic Johnson was acquired in 1979.

The team ruled the 1980’s appearing in eight NBA Finals and winning five times. In 1984, Jabbar surpassed Wilt Chamberlain in career points. During that time, Jabbar received a record sixth MVP award, four more All-NBA awards, a Finals MVP in 1985. If online sportsbooks in the US were in place, Jabbar definitely would’ve covered some spreads. Jabbar put on weight and took yoga which helped his strength and flexibility to withstand the physical exertion of his position. Jabbar announced his retirement in 1989.