In February 2026, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was handed the Lifetime Achievement Award at the NBA Legends Brunch, introduced by commissioner Adam Silver. It was a fitting nod to a man whose numbers still read like a misprint: six championships, six MVPs and 38,387 regular-season points.
From Harlem to UCLA, Milwaukee and Showtime Los Angeles, this is the story of the skyhook and the man behind it. Explore our basketball collection for more hoops legends.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Fact File
| Birth name | Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 16 April 1947 (age 79) |
| Place of birth | Harlem, New York City, USA |
| Height | 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in) |
| Position | Centre |
| Nationality | American |
| Status | Retired (1989); author and ambassador |
| Shirt number | 33 (retired by the Bucks, Lakers and UCLA) |
| Nicknames | Cap, The Captain |
Career History
| Years | Team | Games | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966–1969 | UCLA Bruins (college) | – | 3 NCAA titles |
| 1969–1975 | Milwaukee Bucks | 467 | 14,211 |
| 1975–1989 | Los Angeles Lakers | 1,093 | 24,176 |
| Total | 20 NBA seasons | 1,560 | 38,387 |
Games and points are NBA regular season only (Basketball-Reference). He also retired with 17,440 rebounds and 3,189 blocks.
Early Years: The Tower From Power
Lew Alcindor was already a giant at Power Memorial Academy in New York, where his teams won 71 games in a row and three straight city Catholic titles. He set a New York high-school record of 2,067 points, then headed west to play for John Wooden at UCLA. Freshmen could not play varsity back then, but once he stepped up in 1966–67 the Bruins won three consecutive NCAA titles, and he was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player every time.
Celebrate the Lakers legend with our Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Lakers Basketball Icon Frame Men's Hoodie.
Milwaukee and a New Name
The Bucks drafted him in 1969 and he was Rookie of the Year in 1970. A year later, with Oscar Robertson alongside him, Milwaukee won 66 games, swept the Baltimore Bullets in the Finals and claimed the 1971 title, with Alcindor named Finals MVP. On 3 June 1971 he publicly announced the name the world would come to know: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
He won three MVPs in Milwaukee before a 1975 trade to Los Angeles. Wear the number with our Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 33 Bucks Jersey Frame Men's T-Shirt.
Showtime and the Scoring Record
In Los Angeles he added MVPs in 1976, 1977 and 1980, taking his total to six, still the most in NBA history. When Magic Johnson arrived, Showtime was born, and the Lakers won titles in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988. On 5 April 1984 he passed Wilt Chamberlain as the league's all-time leading scorer with, naturally, a skyhook from a Magic pass.
His sweetest moment came in the 1985 Finals against Boston. At 38 he averaged 30.2 points in the Lakers' four wins and was named Finals MVP. Keep it classic with our Kareem Abdul Jabbar Badge Men's Hoodie.
Retirement and Legacy
Kareem retired after the 1988–89 season with 19 All-Star selections. His points record stood for almost 39 years until LeBron James passed it on 7 February 2023. He was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1995, named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, and later won two more rings as a Lakers assistant coach in 2009 and 2010.
Honours
NBA
- 6× NBA champion (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
- 6× NBA MVP (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980)
- 2× Finals MVP (1971, 1985)
- 19× All-Star, 15× All-NBA, 11× All-Defensive
- Rookie of the Year (1970)
College
- 3× NCAA champion (1967, 1968, 1969)
- 3× NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player
Other
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (1995)
- Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016)
Off the Court
Kareem is a bestselling author of around 15 books, from the memoir Becoming Kareem to the Mycroft Holmes novels. He was named a US global cultural ambassador in 2012, and film fans will know him from Game of Death with Bruce Lee and as Roger Murdock in Airplane!
FAQs
How old is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?
Kareem was born on 16 April 1947, so he is 79 years old.
Where was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar born?
He was born in Harlem, New York City, as Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr.
How tall is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?
He stands 7 ft 2 in, or about 2.18 m.
What teams did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar play for?
He played college basketball for UCLA, then spent six seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks (1969–75) and 14 with the Los Angeles Lakers (1975–89).
How many points did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar score?
He scored 38,387 regular-season points, the NBA record until LeBron James passed it in February 2023.
What was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's signature shot?
The skyhook, a sweeping one-handed hook shot released so high it was almost impossible to block.
Shop the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Collection
Made to order in the UK, these designs honour the original number 33.
Browse our basketball collection, the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks ranges, or design a custom name hoodie.
Part of our Player Profiles series. Read next: Magic Johnson Career Story and Wilt Chamberlain Career Story.
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