Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, born Lew Alcindor, is a Hall of Fame basketball player and the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to ever play the game. He is often associated with his trademark shot the Sky Hook which was legitimately deemed unstoppable and indefensible by opposing players and coaches.

Abdul-Jabbar revealed that he has leukemia on November 9, 2009. He was diagnosed with the disease in December 2008 and his long-term prognosis is positive.http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-kareem-abdul-jabbar10-2009nov10,0,1889183.story

Early Life

Frederick Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor was born in Harlem, New York on April 16, 1947. He attended Power Memorial High School where he led the basketball team to three NYC Catholic Championships. He later attended the University of California, Los Angeles where he was twice named College Player of the Year and won three NCAA Championships in 1967, 1968, 1969. In a testament to his dominance in the college game, the slam dunk was banned in college basketball because of his superiority around the basket.

Pro Career

With the first pick in the 1969 draft, the Milwaukee Bucks selected center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In his illustrious career he would win the NBA MVP a record six times, as well as win Six NBA Championships, winning the Finals MVP Award Twice. He would retire as the All-Time Leading Scorer in the History of the NBA.

Post Playing Career

During his playeing career, Lew Alcindor changed his name to honor his faith as a devout Muslim. The name he took was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. When he retired in 1989 he pursued a career in coaching, and although his skills as a player and basketball mind could not be questioned he has found it difficult to find employment especially in a Head Coaching capacity. He was Named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. He is currently a special assistant coach for Phil Jackson and the Los Angeles Lakers. He is also the author of several books most recently On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey Through The Harlem Renaissance.