Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made an impact.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player widely considered one of the greatest of all time. Dominating as a center for 20 seasons in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, he won a record six MVP awards. He was a 19-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA Team member, and 11-time All-Defensive Team selection. Abdul-Jabbar secured six NBA championships as a player and two as an assistant coach, earning two Finals MVP awards. A Hall of Famer, he held the NBA's career scoring record from 1984 until LeBron James surpassed him in 2023. His accolades include membership in three NBA anniversary teams.
1964: Inspired by Harlem Riot
In 1964, the Harlem riot, triggered by the fatal shooting of James Powell, sparked Alcindor's interest in racial politics, shaping his identity and activism.
November 27, 1965: First Public Performance at UCLA
On November 27, 1965, Alcindor made his first public performance in UCLA's annual varsity–freshman exhibition game, scoring 31 points and grabbing 21 rebounds to lead the freshman team to a 75-60 victory.
1966: Varsity Debut and National Coverage
In 1966, Alcindor made his varsity debut as a sophomore, receiving national coverage and scoring 56 points in his first game, breaking the UCLA single-game record.
1967: Attendance at Cleveland Summit
In 1967, Abdul-Jabbar, as the only college athlete, attended the Cleveland Summit, a meeting of prominent black athletes supporting Muhammad Ali's refusal to fight in the Vietnam War.
1968: Conversion to Islam and Olympic Boycott
During the summer of 1968, Alcindor converted to Sunni Islam and boycotted the 1968 Summer Olympics to protest the unequal treatment of African Americans.
1969: NBA and ABA Drafts
In 1969, Alcindor was drafted first overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA draft, declining an offer from the Harlem Globetrotters. He also rejected the New York Nets offer as too low.
1969: Drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks
In 1969, Lew Alcindor was drafted first overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA draft.
February 21, 1970: Scored 51 Points Against SuperSonics
On February 21, 1970, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 51 points in a 140–127 win over the SuperSonics.
1970: Acquisition of Oscar Robertson
In 1970, the Bucks acquired All-Star guard Oscar Robertson.
1971: Won First NBA Title and Finals MVP
In 1971, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA title, sweeping the Baltimore Bullets, and Abdul-Jabbar was named the Finals MVP.
1971: Won First NBA Championship and Changed Name
In 1971, Lew Alcindor led the Milwaukee Bucks to their first NBA championship at age 24, and subsequently took the Muslim name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
1972: Film Debut in Game of Death
In 1972, Abdul-Jabbar made his film debut in Bruce Lee's film Game of Death.
1974: MVP Award and Finals Appearance
In 1974, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won his third MVP Award in four years and led the Milwaukee Bucks to their fourth consecutive Midwest Division title. He was among the top five NBA players in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots, and field goal percentage. The Bucks advanced to the 1974 NBA Finals, losing to the Boston Celtics in seven games.
1974: Blocks Recorded
In 1974, the basketball statistic for blocks was first recorded, marking the fourth year of Abdul-Jabbar's career. He retired as the third all-time in registered blocks (3,189).
March 13, 1975: Trade Request
On March 13, 1975, it was reported that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar requested a trade to either New York or Los Angeles.
1975: Trade to the Lakers
In 1975, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers from the Milwaukee Bucks.
1975: Traded to the Los Angeles Lakers
In 1975, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he played the final 14 seasons of his career.
1976: Lakers improved record
In 1976, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the best record in the NBA.
1976: Started Doing Yoga
In 1976, while in Los Angeles, Abdul-Jabbar started doing yoga to improve his flexibility, marking a commitment to physical fitness that contributed to his longevity in the NBA.
1978: Signed Sneaker Endorsement Deal
In 1978, Abdul-Jabbar became the first NBA player to sign a sneaker endorsement deal with Adidas, and later, the first player with a signature shoe.
1979: Lakers Acquire Magic Johnson
In 1979, the Los Angeles Lakers drafted Magic Johnson, paving the way for the "Showtime" era.
1980: Role in Airplane!
In 1980, Abdul-Jabbar played co-pilot Roger Murdock in Airplane!, a comedic role spoofing Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch's appearance in the 1957 drama Zero Hour!.
1980: Won Sixth MVP Award
In 1980, Abdul-Jabbar won his sixth and final MVP award, continuing to average above 20 points in the following six seasons.
1980: NBA Championship and Finals Injury
In 1980, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won his record sixth MVP award and led the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA Championship, although he sprained his ankle in Game 5 of the finals.
1981: Another Championship
In 1981, The Los Angeles Lakers won another NBA championship.
1983: Publication of Giant Steps
In 1983, Abdul-Jabbar's autobiography, "Giant Steps", co-authored with Peter Knobler, was published.
April 5, 1984: Breaks Scoring Record
On April 5, 1984, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke Wilt Chamberlain's record for most career points in the NBA, scoring on his signature skyhook against the Utah Jazz.
December 5, 1984: Contract Extension
On December 5, 1984, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar agreed to a one-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers for $2 million.
1984: Tales from the Darkside
In 1984, Abdul-Jabbar played a genie in a lamp in an episode of Tales from the Darkside.
1984: Broke NBA's Career Scoring Record
In 1984, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke the NBA's career scoring record, marking a significant milestone in his career.
November 12, 1985: Contract Extension
On November 12, 1985, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar signed a one-year extension of his contract, while maintaining the option to retire after the 1985-86 season.
1985: Finals MVP
In 1985, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won his second Finals MVP, becoming the oldest player to win the award. The Lakers beat the Boston Celtics in the finals.
1986: Breaks NBA record
In 1986, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played in his 17th season, breaking the previous NBA record for seasons played of 16.
1987: NBA Championship
In 1987, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Lakers won the championship over the Boston Celtics.
1988: NBA Championship
In 1988, the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, defeated the Detroit Pistons for the NBA championship.
1989: Final Season
In 1989, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played his final season. The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA finals.
1989: Retirement from NBA
In 1989, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar retired from the NBA at the age of 42, holding numerous records at the time.
February 10, 1994: Appearance on In Living Color
On February 10, 1994, Abdul-Jabbar played himself on an episode of the sketch comedy television series In Living Color.
1994: Co-Executive Producer
In 1994, Abdul-Jabbar was the co-executive producer of the TV film The Vernon Johns Story.
1995: Interest in Coaching
In 1995, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar began expressing interest in coaching and imparting knowledge from his playing days.
1998: Volunteer Coach at Alchesay High School
In 1998, Abdul-Jabbar served as a volunteer coach at Alchesay High School on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in Whiteriver, Arizona.
2002: Head Coach of Oklahoma Storm
In 2002, Abdul-Jabbar was the head coach of the Oklahoma Storm of the United States Basketball League, leading the team to the league's championship that season.
2005: Special Assistant Coach for the Lakers
In 2005, Abdul-Jabbar returned to the Lakers as a special assistant coach to Phil Jackson, where he mentored young center Andrew Bynum.
2006: The Colbert Report Skit
In 2006, Abdul-Jabbar appeared on The Colbert Report in a skit called "HipHopKetball II: The ReJazzebration Remix '06".
2008: Stage Manager Role
In 2008, Abdul-Jabbar appeared as a stage manager who is sent out on a mission to find Nazi gold.
February 10, 2011: Film Debut
On February 10, 2011, Abdul-Jabbar debuted his film On the Shoulders of Giants.
2011: The Simpsons Appearance
In 2011, Abdul-Jabbar voiced himself in an episode of The Simpsons titled "Love Is a Many Strangled Thing".
2011: End of Lakers Coaching Role
In 2011, Abdul-Jabbar's six-season tenure as a special assistant coach for the Lakers concluded.
January 2012: Appointment as Cultural Ambassador
In January 2012, Abdul-Jabbar was appointed as a cultural ambassador for the United States by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and traveled to Brazil.
2012: Recurring Role on Guys with Kids
From 2012 to 2013, Abdul-Jabbar had a recurring role as himself on the NBC series Guys with Kids.
2012: Selected as U.S. Global Cultural Ambassador
In 2012, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was selected by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to be a U.S. global cultural ambassador, highlighting his role as a cultural figure.
2013: Recurring Role on Guys with Kids
From 2012 to 2013, Abdul-Jabbar had a recurring role as himself on the NBC series Guys with Kids.
2013: End of Coaching Career
In 2013, Abdul-Jabbar moved on from coaching after unsuccessfully lobbying for open head coach positions with UCLA and the Milwaukee Bucks.
November 2014: Essay on College Athlete Compensation
In November 2014, Abdul-Jabbar published an essay in Jacobin advocating for just compensation for college athletes.
2014: Reprised Airplane! Role in Commercial
In 2014, Abdul-Jabbar and Airplane! co-star Robert Hays reprised their Airplane! roles in a parody commercial promoting Wisconsin tourism.
January 25, 2015: Appearance on Meet the Press
On January 25, 2015, Abdul-Jabbar appeared on Meet the Press to discuss his column on Islam and violent extremism.
2015: Adult Fiction Debut
In 2015, Abdul-Jabbar made his adult fiction writing debut with the Victorian mystery novel Mycroft Holmes.
2015: HBO Documentary
In 2015, he appeared in Kareem: Minority of One, an HBO documentary on his life.
2017: Appeared in Music Video
In 2017, Abdul-Jabbar appeared in the music video for "Good Goodbye" by Linkin Park.
2017: Condemnation of Travel Ban
In 2017, Abdul-Jabbar condemned Donald Trump's travel ban, criticizing its lack of reason and compassion.
2017: Speech at Ramadan Event
In 2017, Abdul-Jabbar spoke at a Ramadan event at the Israeli consulate in Los Angeles, emphasizing Muslim-Jewish relations.
September 2018: Announced as Writer for Veronica Mars Revival
In September 2018, Abdul-Jabbar was announced as one of the writers for the July 2019 revival of Veronica Mars.
2018: Publication of Mycroft and Sherlock
In 2018, Abdul-Jabbar published Mycroft and Sherlock, a sequel to his first novel Mycroft Holmes.
February 2019: Appeared on The Big Bang Theory
In February 2019, Abdul-Jabbar appeared in season 12 episode 16 of The Big Bang Theory, "The D&D Vortex".
July 2019: Veronica Mars Revival
Abdul-Jabbar was one of the writers for the July 2019 revival of Veronica Mars.
2019: Publication of Mycroft and Sherlock: The Empty Birdcage
In 2019, Abdul-Jabbar published Mycroft and Sherlock: The Empty Birdcage, a further sequel to his first novel Mycroft Holmes.
2020: Executive Producer and Narrator
In 2020, Abdul-Jabbar was the executive producer and narrator of the History channel special Black Patriots: Heroes of the Revolution. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for his narration.
June 2021: Essay on COVID-19 Vaccine
In June 2021, Abdul-Jabbar published an essay criticizing those refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
2021: Guest Appearance on Dave
In 2021, Abdul-Jabbar made a guest appearance as himself in a season 2 episode of Dave, which was also named after him.
2022: Cameo Appearance
In 2022, Abdul-Jabbar made a cameo appearance as himself in the Netflix film Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
February 7, 2023: Career Scoring Record Broken
On February 7, 2023, LeBron James surpassed Abdul-Jabbar's 38,387 career points to become the NBA's new career scoring leader. Abdul-Jabbar attended the game and passed the game ball to James during the ceremony.
2023: Appeared on Billions
In 2023, Abdul-Jabbar appeared as himself in season 7, episode 3 of the Showtime series Billions.
2024: All Star Appearances Record Broken
In 2024, LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record of 19 All-Star team selections.
