Childhood and Education Journey of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Timeline
An overview of the childhood and early education of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.
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.
April 16, 1947: Birth of Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr.
On April 16, 1947, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr., later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, was born.
1950: Moved to Dyckman Street Projects
In 1950, at the age of 3, Alcindor moved with his family to the Dyckman Street projects in the Inwood neighborhood of Upper Manhattan.
1957: Inspiration for Airplane!
In 1957, the drama Zero Hour! served as the inspiration for Airplane!, which Abdul-Jabbar would later appear in in 1980.
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.
January 12, 1968: Eye Injury
On January 12, 1968, Alcindor suffered a scratched left cornea during a game against California (UC Berkeley), leading to future eye protection measures.
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: Earned Bachelor of Arts Degree
In 1969, Alcindor completed his studies and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in history and practiced martial arts.
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.
1970: Acquisition of Oscar Robertson
In 1970, the Bucks acquired All-Star guard Oscar Robertson.
June 3, 1971: Name Change to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
On June 3, 1971, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar announced at a State Department press conference that he wanted to be called by his Muslim name, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, translating to "noble one, servant of the Almighty".
1971: Marriage to Janice Brown
In 1971, Abdul-Jabbar married Janice Brown (Habiba Abdul-Jabbar) and had three children with her.
1971: Public Use of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Name
In 1971, Alcindor began publicly using the Arabic name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, after converting to Sunni Islam in 1968.
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.
1971: Conversion to Islam
In 1971, at age 24, Abdul-Jabbar converted to Islam and legally changed his name.
1972: Film Debut in Game of Death
In 1972, Abdul-Jabbar made his film debut in Bruce Lee's film Game of Death.
1972: Appearance in Bruce Lee's Film
In 1972, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar appeared in Bruce Lee's film Game of Death, showcasing his martial arts skills.
1972: Freshman Ineligibility Rule
Until 1972, freshman were ineligible to play varsity, causing Alcindor to be relegated to the freshman team in his first year with the Bruins.
1973: Pilgrimage to Libya and Saudi Arabia
In 1973, Abdul-Jabbar embarked on a pilgrimage to Libya and Saudi Arabia to study the Quran.
September 1974: Robertson Retires
In September 1974, Oscar Robertson, who was a free agent in the offseason, retired after being unable to agree on a contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.
1974: Began Wearing Goggles
Abdul-Jabbar began wearing his trademark goggles in 1974 after getting poked in the eye during preseason.
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: Dunking Restriction Rescinded
In 1976, the ban on dunking in college basketball, initially implemented to curtail Alcindor's dominance, was rescinded.
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: Divorce from Janice Brown
In 1978, Abdul-Jabbar and Janice Brown divorced.
1979: Briefly Abandoned Goggles
Abdul-Jabbar briefly abandoned wearing his goggles in the 1979 playoffs.
1979: Weight Training Changes
Prior to the 1979–80 season, Abdul-Jabbar gained 10 pounds (4.5 kg) from 240 to 250 pounds (110 kg) after switching from free weights to Nautilus equipment. He also switched that offseason from tai chi to yoga.
October 1980: Resumed Wearing Goggles
In October 1980, Abdul-Jabbar resumed wearing goggles after being accidentally poked in the right eye by Houston's Rudy Tomjanovich.
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!.
1981: Response to Criticism
In 1981, Abdul-Jabbar responded to criticism about his hustle, explaining his need to conserve energy due to playing extensive minutes each game.
1983: House Fire
In 1983, Abdul-Jabbar's house burned down, destroying many of his belongings, including his jazz LP collection.
1984: Tales from the Darkside
In 1984, Abdul-Jabbar played a genie in a lamp in an episode of Tales from the Darkside.
December 1986: Missed Games Due to Corneal Erosion
In December 1986, Abdul-Jabbar missed three games due to corneal erosion syndrome.
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.
1998: Settlement in Name Lawsuit
In 1998, Abdul-Jabbar reached a settlement after suing Miami Dolphins running back Karim Abdul-Jabbar over name usage.
2006: The Colbert Report Skit
In 2006, Abdul-Jabbar appeared on The Colbert Report in a skit called "HipHopKetball II: The ReJazzebration Remix '06".
December 2008: Leukemia Diagnosed
In December 2008, Abdul-Jabbar was diagnosed with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.
2008: Stage Manager Role
In 2008, Abdul-Jabbar appeared as a stage manager who is sent out on a mission to find Nazi gold.
November 2009: Announcement of Leukemia Diagnosis
In November 2009, Abdul-Jabbar announced that he was suffering from leukemia, Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia, which had been diagnosed in December 2008.
February 10, 2011: Film Debut
On February 10, 2011, Abdul-Jabbar debuted his film On the Shoulders of Giants.
February 2011: Announcement of Leukemia Status
In February 2011, Abdul-Jabbar announced that his leukemia was gone, later clarifying that the cancer was at an absolute minimum.
2011: The Simpsons Appearance
In 2011, Abdul-Jabbar voiced himself in an episode of The Simpsons titled "Love Is a Many Strangled Thing".
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: Participation in Splash
In 2013, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar participated in the ABC reality series Splash, a celebrity diving competition.
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.
April 2015: Hospitalization and Bypass Surgery
In April 2015, Abdul-Jabbar was hospitalized and underwent quadruple coronary bypass surgery.
2015: HBO Documentary
In 2015, he appeared in Kareem: Minority of One, an HBO documentary on his life.
2016: Tribute to Muhammad Ali
In 2016, Abdul-Jabbar performed a tribute to his friend Muhammad Ali alongside Chance the Rapper.
January 2017: Appointment to Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee
In January 2017, Abdul-Jabbar was appointed to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee by the United States Secretary of the Treasury.
2017: Appeared in Music Video
In 2017, Abdul-Jabbar appeared in the music video for "Good Goodbye" by Linkin Park.
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.
April 2018: Dancing with the Stars
In April 2018, Abdul-Jabbar competed in season 26 of Dancing with the Stars, partnering with Lindsay Arnold.
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: Resignation from Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee
In 2018, Abdul-Jabbar resigned from the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee due to increasing personal obligations.
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.
2020: Prostate Cancer Revelation
In 2020, Abdul-Jabbar revealed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer eleven years earlier.
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 2023: Atrial Fibrillation Diagnosis
In February 2023, Abdul-Jabbar spoke about his atrial fibrillation diagnosis and partnered with "No Time to Wait" to raise awareness of the symptoms.
December 2023: Hospitalized After Hip Fracture
In December 2023, Abdul-Jabbar was hospitalized after he fell and broke his hip at a concert.
2023: Appeared on Billions
In 2023, Abdul-Jabbar appeared as himself in season 7, episode 3 of the Showtime series Billions.
