He was 86. Although Abdul-Jabbar always spoke well of Milwaukee and its fans, he said that being in the Midwest did not fit his cultural needs and requested a trade to either New York or Los Angeles in October 1974.[13]. Black History Project Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr Cultural However, during his playing years, Abdul-Jabbar had developed a reputation of being introverted and sullen. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Net Worth & Fiction! "[15], In 1983, Abdul-Jabbar's house burned down, destroying many of his belongings including his beloved jazz LP collection. Since his childhood, he was always exceptionally tall For his age. He frustrated opponents with his superior shot-blocking ability, denying an average 2.6 shots a game. INTERESTING BITS: Who Knew? Kareem Abdul In his biography My Life, Magic Johnson recalls that in Abdul-Jabbar's farewell game, many Lakers and Celtics legends participated. In 1974, Abdul-Jabbar won his third MVP Award in five years and was among the top five NBA players in scoring (27.0 ppg, third), rebounding (14.5 rpg, fourth), blocked shots (283, second), and field goal percentage (.539, second). Abdul-Jabbar had been interested in coaching since his retirement, and given the influence he had on the league, he thought that the opportunity would present itself. He was also going to be called for an act of duty due to the lack of soldiers in Vietnam, an already unpopular war (Cassius Marsellus CLAY, Jr.). He once missed a game in the 198687 season due to his eyes drying out and swelling as a result. Later in his career, he bulked up to about 265 pounds, to be able to withstand the strain of playing the highly physical center position into his early 40s. He is more recognized by his changed name, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. During his career as a center, Abdul-Jabbar was a record six-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), a record 19-time NBA All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA selection, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. He won two titles with the LA Lakers back-to-back in 1987 and 1988. Geni requires JavaScript! Jackie Robinson is best known for the courageous role he played in the integration of Major League Baseball in 1947. Lew Alcindor This is a forwarded story about Lakers basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and a Rabbi named Yisrael Mir Lau. Sports figures also protest for different causes they feel strongly about. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jr. - Biography - IMDb Although Abdul-Jabbar dominated the series statistically, Walton and the Trail Blazers (who were experiencing their first-ever run in the playoffs) swept the Lakers, behind Walton's skillful passing and leadership. Because of the NBA legend, she decided to convert to Islam, and after doing so, she was given the name Habiba. I was way too suspicious and I paid a price for it. [9] He would miss the next two games against Stanford and Portland. Interesting Bits| The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Forum sneaker is a custom-made shoe by Factory8384 that costs $1,000 per pair and comes with an Abdul autograph. Kareem owns the record for most career points scored with 38,387 at a point average of 24.6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is reported as being 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) tall and weighs 225 lb or 102 kg.