Last Updated on September 9, 2024 by Mathew Diekhake

Here’s a detailed breakdown of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s information:

  • Full Name: Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr.
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born on April 16, 1947
  • Hometown: New York City, New York, USA
  • Height: 7 feet 2 inches (2.18 meters)
  • Weight: 225 pounds (102 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 feet 5 inches (2.26 meters)
  • Shoe Size: 17
  • Number: 33
  • Position: Center
  • High School: Power Memorial Academy (New York City, NY)
  • College: UCLA
  • NBA Draft: 1969 (1st round, 1st pick overall by the Milwaukee Bucks)
  • Teams Played For:
    1. Milwaukee Bucks (1969–1975)
    2. Los Angeles Lakers (1975–1989)
  • Accolades:
    • NBA Championships:
      • 6-time NBA Champion: (1971 with the Milwaukee Bucks; 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988 with the Los Angeles Lakers)
    • NBA Awards:
      • 6-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP): (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980)
      • Holds the record for the most regular-season MVP awards in NBA history.
      • 2-time NBA Finals MVP: (1971, 1985)
      • 19-time NBA All-Star: (1970–1977, 1979–1989)
      • 10-time All-NBA First Team: (1971–1974, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1986)
      • 5-time All-NBA Second Team: (1970, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1985)
      • 5-time NBA All-Defensive First Team: (1974, 1975, 1979–1981)
      • 6-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team: (1970, 1971, 1976–1978, 1984)
    • NBA Rookie of the Year: (1970)
    • 2-time NBA Scoring Champion: (1971, 1972)
    • NBA Rebounding Leader: (1976)
    • 4-time NBA Blocks Leader: (1975, 1976, 1979, 1980)
    • Career Totals & Achievements:
      • 38,387 career points (Most points in NBA history until 2023, when LeBron James surpassed it)
      • 17,440 career rebounds (4th all-time in NBA history)
      • 3,189 career blocks (3rd all-time in NBA history)
      • 5,660 career assists
      • Most All-Star selections at the time of his retirement (19)
      • Career averages: 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game
      • NBA Hall of Fame Inductee: 1995
    • College Career:
      • 3-time NCAA Champion: (1967, 1968, 1969 with UCLA)
      • 3-time NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player
      • Naismith College Player of the Year: (1969)
      • 2-time USBWA College Player of the Year: (1967, 1969)
    • Other Notable Achievements:
      • NBA 50th Anniversary Team: (1996)
      • NBA 75th Anniversary Team: (2021)
      • Presidential Medal of Freedom: (2016) awarded by President Barack Obama
      • Lou Gehrig Memorial Award: (1985) for contributions to society outside of sports
  • Kids: 3 (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jr., Diahann Carroll, and Adam Abdul-Jabbar)
  • Siblings: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has one sister, named Cheryl.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar invented the skyhook, which he frequently shot around the low post. His skyhook shots were long, arching, arm movements that made it difficult for defenders to block. Though he is most known as a Laker, he spent six seasons playing for the Milwaukee Bucks at the start of his career. Abdul-Jabbar nearly broke stat sheets, often putting up 30 and 15 games in his prime. To average this number is virtually unheard of since. The new common phrase for outstanding frontcourt players is 20 and 10.