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. He played 20 seasons in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, winning six NBA championships and a record six MVP awards. A 19-time All-Star, Abdul-Jabbar was known for his dominant play as a center, particularly his signature skyhook shot. He also played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Abdul-Jabbar held the NBA's career scoring record from 1984 until LeBron James broke it in 2023. He also contributed as an assistant coach after his playing career ended.
1964: Inspired by Harlem Riot of 1964
In 1964, the Harlem riot, triggered by the shooting of James Powell, sparked Alcindor's interest in racial politics.
November 27, 1965: First public performance at Pauley Pavilion
On November 27, 1965, Alcindor made his first public performance in UCLA's annual varsity–freshman exhibition game at the Bruins' new Pauley Pavilion, scoring 31 points and grabbing 21 rebounds in the freshman team's 75-60 victory.
1966: Varsity debut
In 1966, Alcindor made his varsity debut, scoring 56 points in his first game and leading UCLA to an undefeated 30-0 record and a national championship.
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.
1969: Selected first overall in NBA draft
In 1969, Alcindor was picked first overall in the NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and declined an offer from the Globetrotters.
1969: Drafted by Milwaukee Bucks
In the 1969 NBA draft, Lew Alcindor was drafted first overall by the Milwaukee Bucks.
February 21, 1970: Scored 51 points against the SuperSonics
On February 21, 1970, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 51 points in a 140–127 win over the SuperSonics.
1970: Bucks Acquire Oscar Robertson
In 1970, the Milwaukee Bucks acquired All-Star guard Oscar Robertson. The Bucks went on to record the best record in the league with 66 victories in the 1970-71 season.
1971: NBA Title
In 1971, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA title, sweeping the Baltimore Bullets 4-0 in the NBA Finals. Abdul-Jabbar was named the Finals MVP after averaging 27 points per game on 60.5% shooting in the series.
1972: Appeared in Game of Death
In 1972, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar appeared in Bruce Lee's film "Game of Death".
1974: MVP Award and Finals Appearance
In 1974, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led the Milwaukee Bucks to their fourth consecutive Midwest Division title and won his third MVP Award in four years. The Bucks advanced to the 1974 NBA Finals, losing to the Boston Celtics in seven games.
1974: Blocks statistic recorded
In 1974, the blocks basketball statistic was recorded during the fourth year of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's career.
March 13, 1975: Abdul-Jabbar Requests Trade
On March 13, 1975, sportscaster Marv Albert reported that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar requested a trade to either New York or Los Angeles, preferably to the Knicks.
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 for the final 14 seasons of his career.
1976: Fifth MVP Award
In 1976, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led the Los Angeles Lakers to the best record (53–29) in the NBA, and he won his fifth MVP award, tying Bill Russell's record.
1976: Started doing Yoga
In 1976, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar started doing yoga in Los Angeles to improve his flexibility, contributing to his longevity as a player.
1976: Lakers Acquire Draft Pick
In 1976, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired the draft pick from the New Orleans Jazz (later Utah) that would be used to draft Magic Johnson in 1979, when league rules required that they compensate Los Angeles for their signing of free agent Gail Goodrich.
1978: Signed sneaker endorsement deal with Adidas
In 1978, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar became the first NBA player to sign a sneaker endorsement deal with Adidas and subsequently the first player with a signature shoe.
1979: Lakers Draft Magic Johnson
In 1979, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Magic Johnson with the first overall pick of the NBA draft. They had acquired the pick from the New Orleans Jazz (later Utah) in 1976.
1980: Team Scoring and Rebounding Leader
For the first time since the 1980–81 season, Abdul-Jabbar led the Lakers in both scoring (21.5) and rebounding (7.3) during the season.
1980: Sixth and final MVP award
In 1980, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar claimed his sixth and final NBA MVP award.
1980: Played co-pilot Roger Murdock in Airplane!
In 1980, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played the role of co-pilot Roger Murdock in the movie Airplane!, where he had a memorable scene with a little boy who recognized him despite his character's denial.
1980: NBA Championship and MVP Award
In 1980, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won his record sixth MVP award and led the Lakers to an NBA Championship. He sprained his ankle in Game 5 of the finals but returned to finish the contest with 40 points.
1981: Response to criticism about not hustling
In 1981, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar responded to criticism that he did not hustle, explaining that he needed to conserve energy due to playing 42 to 45 minutes a night.
1981: NBA 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 with a skyhook over Mark Eaton in a game against Utah.
December 5, 1984: Contract Extension
On December 5, 1984, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers.
1984: Broke NBA's career scoring record
In 1984, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke the NBA's career scoring record.
1984: Played a genie in Tales from the Darkside
In 1984, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played a genie in a lamp in an episode of Tales from the Darkside.
November 12, 1985: Contract Extension
On November 12, 1985, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar signed a one-year extension of his contract at the same $2 million salary, while maintaining the option to retire after the 1985–86 season.
1985: Finals MVP Award
In 1985, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won his second Finals MVP award, becoming the oldest player to win the award at 38 years and 54 days old. The Lakers defeated the Celtics to win the championship, ending the Celtics' streak of eight consecutive championships against the Lakers.
1986: Gained Weight
Prior to the 1986–87 season, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gained 13 pounds (5.9 kg), reaching close to 270 pounds (120 kg), to compete against the growing number of 7-footers (2.1 m) in the league.
1987: Championship over Boston
In 1987, the Los Angeles Lakers won a championship over Boston in each of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's final three seasons. Afterwards, he signed a two-year contract with the Lakers.
1988: Lakers defeat Pistons for the NBA Championship
In 1988, the Los Angeles Lakers, under Pat Riley's guarantee, defeated the Detroit Pistons to win the NBA championship. In Game 6 of the finals, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made two free throws with 14 seconds remaining to extend the series to seven games.
1989: Lakers swept by Pistons in NBA Finals
In 1989, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Los Angeles Lakers were swept by the Detroit Pistons in a four-game sweep in the NBA finals.
1989: Retirement from NBA
In 1989, at the age of 42, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar retired from the NBA.
February 10, 1994: Played himself on In Living Color
On February 10, 1994, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played himself on an episode of the sketch comedy television series In Living Color.
1994: Co-Executive Producer of "The Vernon Johns Story"
In 1994, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the co-executive producer of the TV film "The Vernon Johns Story".
1995: Expressing interest in coaching
In 1995, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar began expressing an interest in coaching and imparting knowledge from his playing days, though his opportunities were limited due to his reputation for being introverted and unfriendly with the media.
1998: Volunteer Coach at Alchesay High School
In 1998, Kareem 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, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar served as the head coach of the Oklahoma Storm of the United States Basketball League, leading the team to the league's championship that season.
2005: Returns to Lakers as special assistant coach
In 2005, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar returned to the Los Angeles Lakers as a special assistant coach to Phil Jackson for six seasons, mentoring their young center, Andrew Bynum.
2006: Appearance on The Colbert Report
In 2006, Abdul-Jabbar made an appearance on The Colbert Report in a skit called "HipHopKetball II: The ReJazzebration Remix '06".
2008: Appearance in Nazi Gold skit
In 2008, Abdul-Jabbar appeared as a stage manager in a skit where he was sent out on a mission to find Nazi gold.
February 10, 2011: Debut of "On the Shoulders of Giants"
On February 10, 2011, Abdul-Jabbar debuted his film On the Shoulders of Giants, documenting the New York Renaissance professional basketball team.
2011: Voice Acting on The Simpsons
In 2011, Abdul-Jabbar voiced himself in an episode of The Simpsons titled "Love Is a Many Strangled Thing".
2011: End of special assistant coach role with Lakers
In 2011, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's six-season tenure as a special assistant coach to Phil Jackson with the Los Angeles Lakers concluded.
January 2012: Appointed as Cultural Ambassador
In January 2012, Abdul-Jabbar accepted a position as a cultural ambassador for the United States, announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
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.
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: Participation in Splash
In 2013, Abdul-Jabbar participated in the ABC reality series Splash, a celebrity diving competition.
2013: Moves on from coaching
In 2013, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar moved on from coaching after unsuccessfully lobbying for open head coach positions with UCLA and the Milwaukee Bucks.
November 2014: Publication of Essay in Jacobin
In November 2014, Abdul-Jabbar published an essay in Jacobin calling for just compensation for college athletes.
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: Appearance in HBO Documentary
In 2015, Abdul-Jabbar appeared in Kareem: Minority of One, an HBO documentary about his life.
2015: Debut Adult Fiction Writing
In 2015, Abdul-Jabbar made his adult fiction writing debut with the Victorian mystery novel Mycroft Holmes, based around the titular character from the Sherlock Holmes stories.
2017: Appearance in "Good Goodbye" Music Video
In 2017, Abdul-Jabbar appeared in the music video for "Good Goodbye" by Linkin Park, playing a warlord in a dunk contest.
2017: Condemnation of Travel Ban
In 2017, Abdul-Jabbar condemned Donald Trump's travel ban, citing the absence of reason and compassion.
2017: Spoke at Ramadan Event
In 2017, Abdul-Jabbar spoke at an event marking Ramadan organized by the Israeli consul in Los Angeles, emphasizing Muslim-Jewish relations.
April 2018: Competed in Dancing with the Stars
In April 2018, Abdul-Jabbar competed in season 26 of Dancing with the Stars, partnered with Lindsay Arnold.
September 2018: 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, the sequel to his first fiction novel "Mycroft Holmes", titled "Mycroft and Sherlock" co-written with Anna Waterhouse was published.
February 2019: Appearance on The Big Bang Theory
In February 2019, Abdul-Jabbar appeared in season 12 episode 16 of The Big Bang Theory, titled "The D&D Vortex".
July 2019: 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.
2019: Publication of Mycroft and Sherlock: The Empty Birdcage
In 2019, the third novel in the series "Mycroft and Sherlock", titled "Mycroft and Sherlock: The Empty Birdcage" co-written with Anna Waterhouse was published.
2020: Executive Producer of Black Patriots
In 2020, Abdul-Jabbar was the executive producer and narrator of the History channel special Black Patriots: Heroes of the Revolution. He was also nominated for an Emmy Award for his narration.
June 2021: Published Essay on COVID-19 Vaccine
In June 2021, Abdul-Jabbar published an essay in Jacobin on the negative impact of refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, criticizing Kyrie Irving.
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 in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
In 2022, Abdul-Jabbar made a cameo appearance as himself in the Netflix film Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
February 7, 2023: LeBron James Surpasses Abdul-Jabbar's Scoring Record
On February 7, 2023, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 38,387 career points to become the NBA's career scoring record holder. Abdul-Jabbar attended the game and passed the game ball to James during the in-game ceremony after the record was broken.
2023: Appearance on Billions
In 2023, Abdul-Jabbar appeared as himself in season 7, episode 3 of the Showtime series Billions.
2024: James surpasses Abdul-Jabbar's All-Star team selections record
In 2024, LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record of 19 All-Star team selections.
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