History of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Timeline
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.
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 in New York City.
1950: Moved to Dyckman Street projects
In 1950, at the age of 3, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. moved to the Dyckman Street projects in the Inwood neighborhood of Upper Manhattan.
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.
1967: National player of the year
In 1967, Alcindor was named national player of the year.
January 12, 1968: Scratched cornea
On January 12, 1968, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, suffered a scratched left cornea in a game against California (UC Berkeley).
1968: Converted to Sunni Islam
During the summer of 1968, Alcindor converted to Sunni Islam and took the name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He also boycotted the 1968 Summer Olympics in protest of the unequal treatment of African Americans in the United States.
1968: NCAA basketball champion
In 1968, Alcindor played on the NCAA basketball champion team.
1969: Naismith College Player of the Year
In 1969, Alcindor was honored as the first-ever Naismith College Player of the Year.
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: Graduated with a BA in history
In 1969, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, completed his studies at UCLA and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in history.
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.
June 3, 1971: Name Change Announcement
On June 3, 1971, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, during a press conference at the State Department, announced that he wanted to be called by his Muslim name, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, which translates to "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.
1971: Marriage to Habiba Abdul-Jabbar
In 1971, Abdul-Jabbar married Habiba Abdul-Jabbar (born Janice Brown), and they had three children together.
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.
1971: Public use of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar name
In 1971, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar began using his adopted Arabic name publicly.
1971: Changed name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
In 1971, after leading the Milwaukee Bucks to their first NBA championship, Lew Alcindor took the Muslim name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
1972: Freshmen eligible to play varsity
In 1972 freshmen became eligible to play varsity.
1972: Appeared in Game of Death
In 1972, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar appeared in Bruce Lee's film "Game of Death".
1973: Pilgrimage to Libya and Saudi Arabia
In 1973, Abdul-Jabbar embarked on a pilgrimage to Libya and Saudi Arabia to study the Quran and renew his faith.
1973: NBA single-season defensive rebounds record
In 1975, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 1,111 defensive rebounds, which remains the NBA single-season record (defensive rebounds were not recorded prior to the 1973–74 season).
September 1974: Robertson's Retirement
In September 1974, Oscar Robertson retired after he was unable to agree on a contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.
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.
1974: Began wearing trademark goggles
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar began wearing his trademark goggles in 1974 after getting poked in the eye during preseason.
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: Past Hand Injury
In 1975, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke the same bone in his right hand after he punched the backboard support.
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.
1976: Dunk ban rescinded
In the 1976-77 season, the ban on dunking in college basketball, also known as the "Alcindor Rule," was rescinded.
1977: Hand Injury
Two minutes into the opening game of the 1977–78 season, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke his right hand punching Milwaukee's Kent Benson in retaliation to the rookie's elbow to his stomach. Abdul-Jabbar missed 20 games.
1978: Divorce from Janice Brown
In 1978, Abdul-Jabbar and Janice Brown divorced.
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.
1978: All-Star Game Snub
In 1978, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was not named to the NBA All-Star Game, the only time in his 20-year career he was not selected to an All-Star Game.
1978: Playoff Elimination
In 1978, the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated by the Seattle SuperSonics in the first round of the playoffs.
1979: Abandoned wearing goggles
In 1979, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar abandoned wearing his trademark goggles during the playoffs.
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.
1979: Playoff Elimination
In 1979, the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated by the Seattle SuperSonics in the semifinals of the playoffs.
1979: Gained weight and switched from Tai Chi to Yoga
Prior to the 1979-80 season, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gained 10 pounds (4.5 kg) from 240 to 250 pounds (110 kg) after switching from free weights to Nautilus equipment, and he also switched that offseason from tai chi to yoga.
1979: Largest Home Crowd
The Jazz played a game at the Thomas & Mack Center, one of 11 home games for the Jazz in the Las Vegas Valley. The contest drew 18,389 fans, the Jazz's largest home crowd since moving from New Orleans before the 1979–80 season.
October 1980: Resumed Wearing Goggles After Eye Poke
In October 1980, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar resumed wearing his trademark goggles after being accidentally poked in the right eye by Houston's Rudy Tomjanovich.
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.
December 22, 1983: Season Low Scoring
On December 22, 1983, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 10 points at Golden State, dropping his season average to 17.7, almost 10 points below his career average.
1983: Publication of Giant Steps
In 1983, Abdul-Jabbar's autobiography, Giant Steps, co-authored with Peter Knobler, was published.
1983: House Fire
In 1983, Abdul-Jabbar's house burned down, destroying many of his belongings including his jazz LP collection. Lakers fans sent him albums, which he found uplifting.
1983: NBA Finals Loss
In 1983, the Los Angeles Lakers advanced to the NBA Finals in a rematch against the 76ers, who had acquired Moses Malone. The 76ers swept the Lakers 4–0, and Malone was named the Finals MVP.
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.
1985: Riley calls Abdul-Jabbar the greatest player ever
In 1985, Pat Riley called Kareem Abdul-Jabbar the greatest player ever.
December 1986: Missed Games Due to Corneal Erosion Syndrome
In December 1986, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar missed three games due to corneal erosion syndrome, a condition he developed after years of being jabbed in the eyes.
1986: Weight Increase
In 1986, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar bulked up to 270 lb (120 kg).
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: Settlement in Lawsuit
In 1998, Abdul-Jabbar reached a settlement after suing Miami Dolphins running back Karim Abdul-Jabbar (now Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar), who agreed to change his jersey nameplate to "Abdul".
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".
2007: Named greatest center of all time by ESPN
In 2007, ESPN named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar the greatest center of all time.
December 2008: Leukemia Diagnosis
In December 2008, Abdul-Jabbar was diagnosed with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.
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.
2008: Named the greatest player in college basketball history by ESPN
In 2008, ESPN named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar the greatest player in college basketball history.
November 2009: Announcement of Leukemia Diagnosis
In November 2009, Abdul-Jabbar announced that he was suffering from leukemia, Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, which had been diagnosed in December 2008.
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.
February 2011: Announcement of Remission
In February 2011, Abdul-Jabbar announced via Twitter that his leukemia was gone, later clarifying that his cancer was at an absolute minimum.
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: Awards and Honors
In 2011, Abdul-Jabbar was awarded the Double Helix Medal for cancer awareness and received an honorary degree from New York Institute of Technology.
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: Julius Erving calls Abdul-Jabbar the number one player of all-time
In 2013, Julius Erving stated that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was still the number one player of all time and the player to start a franchise with.
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.
2014: Reprised Airplane! role in parody commercial
In 2014, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Airplane! co-star Robert Hays reprised their roles in a parody commercial promoting Wisconsin tourism.
2014: UCLA Bruins wore "The Blueprint" Crazy 8
In 2014, the UCLA Bruins wore "The Blueprint" Crazy 8 Adidas shoes against Colorado on Feb. 13, and the shoes were sold online and at an Adidas store in New Orleans—during NBA All-Star weekend—starting on Feb. 14.
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 Heart Surgery
In April 2015, Abdul-Jabbar was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with cardiovascular disease and underwent quadruple coronary bypass surgery at the UCLA Medical Center on his 68th birthday.
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.
2015: ESPN ranked Abdul-Jabbar the best center in NBA history
In 2015, ESPN named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar the best center in NBA history, and ranked him No. 2 behind Michael Jordan among the greatest NBA players ever.
2016: Tribute to Muhammad Ali
In 2016, Abdul-Jabbar performed a tribute to his friend Muhammad Ali along with Chance the Rapper.
2016: Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
In 2016, Abdul-Jabbar was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.
2016: Rookie card becomes most expensive basketball card
In 2016, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's only recognized rookie card became the most expensive basketball card ever sold at the time, going for $501,900 at auction.
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.
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: Resignation from Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee
In 2018, Abdul-Jabbar resigned from the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee due to "increasing personal obligations".
2018: Rookie record tied by Jayson Tatum
In 2018, Jayson Tatum tied Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's NBA rookie record with 10 or more games of 20+ points scored during the playoffs.
2018: Ranked No. 4 in Slam's "Top 100 Players Of All-Time"
In 2018, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was ranked No. 4 in Slam's "Top 100 Players Of All-Time".
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: Holds individual records at UCLA
As of the 2019–20 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team season, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar still holds or shares a number of individual records at UCLA.
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: Revelation of Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
In 2020, Abdul-Jabbar revealed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer eleven years earlier.
2020: Nomination for Primetime Emmy Award
In 2020, Abdul-Jabbar was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Narrator for his work on Black Patriots: Heroes of The Revolution.
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.
2020: Ranked No. 3 in ESPN's top 74 NBA players of all time
In 2020, ESPN ranked Kareem Abdul-Jabbar No. 3 in its list of the top 74 NBA players of all time, recognizing him as the best center ever ahead of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain.
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.
2022: Ranked No. 3 in ESPN's NBA 75th Anniversary Team list
In 2022, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was ranked No. 3 (first in his position) in ESPN's NBA 75th Anniversary Team list, and No. 3 (behind Jordan and James) in a similar list by The Athletic.
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.
February 2023: Spoke out about Atrial Fibrillation Diagnosis
In February 2023, Abdul-Jabbar spoke out about his atrial fibrillation diagnosis and partnered with Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer's "No Time to Wait" campaign.
December 2023: Hospitalized after falling and breaking hip
In December 2023, Abdul-Jabbar was hospitalized after he fell and broke his hip while attending a concert.
2023: Appearance on Billions
In 2023, Abdul-Jabbar appeared as himself in season 7, episode 3 of the Showtime series Billions.
2023: NBA scoring record surpassed by Lebron James
In 2023, LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's NBA career scoring record.
2023: Riley still chooses Abdul-Jabbar as the greatest
In 2023, as LeBron James was on the verge of breaking the NBA career scoring record, Pat Riley remained steadfast in his opinion that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the greatest player in NBA history, citing his unstoppable skyhook shot.
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.
2025: Named Harvard College Class Day Speaker
In 2025, Abdul-Jabbar was named Havard College Class Day speaker after receiving an honorary degree from the same.
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