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 an American former professional basketball player widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. He played 20 seasons in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, achieving remarkable success. A Hall of Fame member, he holds a record six NBA MVP awards. Abdul-Jabbar was a 19-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA Team member, and 11-time All-Defensive Team selection. He won six NBA championships as a player and two as an assistant coach, earning two Finals MVP awards. He was named to three NBA anniversary teams. He held the NBA's career scoring record from 1984 until 2023.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

April 16, 1947: Birth of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

On April 16, 1947, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr., later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, was born. He would become a celebrated basketball player.

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1950: Moved to Dyckman Street projects

In 1950, at the age of 3, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. moved with his family to the Dyckman Street projects in the Inwood neighborhood of Upper Manhattan.

1964: Harlem Riot and Political Awakening

In 1964, the Harlem riot, triggered by the shooting of James Powell, ignited Alcindor's interest in racial politics and shaped his identity.

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 Pauley Pavilion, where the freshman team defeated the varsity team 75–60.

1967: Attendance at the Cleveland Summit

In 1967, Abdul-Jabbar was the only college athlete to attend the Cleveland Summit, a meeting of prominent black athletes who convened in support of 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, which later led him to wear goggles for eye protection throughout his career.

1968: Conversion to Islam and Olympics Boycott

During the summer of 1968, Alcindor converted to Sunni Islam from Catholicism. He also boycotted the 1968 Summer Olympics to protest the unequal treatment of African Americans in the United States.

1969: Graduation from UCLA

In 1969, Alcindor earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in history from UCLA. He also practiced martial arts in his free time, including learning Jeet Kune Do under Bruce Lee.

June 3, 1971: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Announces Name Change

On June 3, 1971, during a press conference at the State Department, Alcindor announced that he would be known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a Muslim name meaning roughly "noble one, servant of the Almighty".

1971: Conversion to Islam

At age 24 in 1971, Alcindor converted to Islam and legally became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, meaning "noble one, servant of the Almighty".

1971: Marriage to Janice Brown

In 1971, Abdul-Jabbar married Habiba Abdul-Jabbar (born Janice Brown) after meeting her at a Lakers game.

1971: Public Use of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Name

In 1971, Lew Alcindor began publicly using the Arabic name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, after converting to Sunni Islam in 1968.

1972: Appearance in "Game of Death"

In 1972, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar appeared in the film "Game of Death" starring Bruce Lee, showcasing his martial arts skills, as he had trained in Jeet Kune Do under Lee.

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1972: Freshmen Eligibility Rule Change

In 1972, freshmen were made eligible to play varsity. Before this change, Alcindor was relegated to the freshman team during 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 learn Arabic for self-study of the Quran.

1974: Started Wearing Goggles

In 1974, Abdul-Jabbar began wearing his trademark goggles after getting poked in the eye during preseason.

1976: Started Yoga

In 1976, while in Los Angeles, Abdul-Jabbar started doing yoga to improve his flexibility, becoming notable for his physical fitness regimen.

1976: Rescinding of Dunk Ban

In the 1976-77 season, the ban on dunking in college basketball (the "Alcindor Rule") was rescinded.

1978: Divorce from Janice Brown

In 1978, Abdul-Jabbar and Janice Brown divorced.

1979: Abandoned Goggles

In 1979, Abdul-Jabbar stopped wearing his goggles during the playoffs.

1979: Gained weight after switching equipment

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.

1981: Response to Criticism

In 1981, Abdul-Jabbar responded to criticism about his hustle, explaining that he had to conserve energy due to playing 42 to 45 minutes a night.

1983: House Fire and Loss of Belongings

In 1983, Abdul-Jabbar's house burned down, destroying many of his belongings including his jazz LP collection.

December 1986: Missed Games Due to Corneal Erosion Syndrome

In December 1986, Abdul-Jabbar missed three games due to corneal erosion syndrome, a condition he developed after years of being jabbed in the eyes.

1986: Increased Weight

In 1986, Abdul-Jabbar bulked up to 270 lb (120 kg), utilizing a bigger frame for guarding under the basket.

1998: Settlement in Lawsuit against Karim Abdul-Jabbar

In 1998, Abdul-Jabbar reached a settlement after suing Miami Dolphins running back Karim Abdul-Jabbar for profiting off his name, leading to the younger Abdul-Jabbar changing his jersey nameplate.

December 2008: Diagnosis of Leukemia

In December 2008, Abdul-Jabbar was diagnosed with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow.

November 2009: Announcement of Leukemia Diagnosis

In November 2009, Abdul-Jabbar announced that he was suffering from Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, which had been diagnosed in December 2008.

February 2011: Announcement of Remission, Clarification Follows

In February 2011, Abdul-Jabbar initially announced via Twitter that his leukemia was gone, but he later clarified that his cancer was at an absolute minimum.

2012: Selected as U.S. Global Cultural Ambassador

In 2012, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was selected by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to serve as a U.S. global cultural ambassador, indicating his influence and respect on an international level.

2013: Participation in Splash

In 2013, Abdul-Jabbar participated in the ABC reality series "Splash", a celebrity diving competition.

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November 2014: Publication of Essay in Jacobin

In November 2014, Abdul-Jabbar published an essay in Jacobin advocating for just compensation for college athletes, arguing against the "indentured servitude" of 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 arguing that Islam should not be blamed for the actions of violent extremists. He also spoke about his faith.

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April 2015: Hospitalization and Heart Surgery

In April 2015, Abdul-Jabbar was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. Later that week, on his 68th birthday, he underwent quadruple coronary bypass surgery.

2015: Appearance in Kareem: Minority of One

In 2015, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar appeared in "Kareem: Minority of One", an HBO documentary about his life.

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2016: Tribute to Muhammad Ali

In 2016, Abdul-Jabbar performed a tribute to his friend Muhammad Ali along with 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 United States Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin due to his interest in coin collecting.

2017: Condemnation of Donald Trump's Travel Ban

In 2017, Abdul-Jabbar commented on Donald Trump's travel ban, condemning it and describing the absence of reason and compassion as "pure evil".

2017: Speech at Ramadan Event

In 2017, Abdul-Jabbar spoke at a Ramadan event organized by the Israeli consul in Los Angeles, emphasizing Muslim-Jewish relations and cross-cultural exchange.

April 2018: Competition on Dancing with the Stars

In April 2018, Abdul-Jabbar competed in season 26 of "Dancing with the Stars", partnering with Lindsay Arnold.

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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: Appearance on The Big Bang Theory

In February 2019, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar appeared in season 12 episode 16 of "The Big Bang Theory", titled "The D&D Vortex".

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2020: Revelation of Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

In 2020, Abdul-Jabbar revealed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer eleven years earlier.

June 2021: Publication of Essay on COVID-19 Vaccine Refusal

In June 2021, Abdul-Jabbar published an essay in Jacobin on the negative impact of refusing the COVID-19 vaccine on public health, criticizing Kyrie Irving.

2021: Guest appearance on Dave

In 2021, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made a guest appearance as himself in a season 2 episode of "Dave", which was also named after him.

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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".

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February 2023: Spoke about Atrial Fibrillation Diagnosis

In February 2023, Abdul-Jabbar spoke about his atrial fibrillation diagnosis. He partnered with Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer's "No Time to Wait" to raise awareness of the symptoms.