Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is not only a basketball legend but also a prolific author and columnist. He has written several books on a variety of topics, including history, politics, and sports.
In addition to his basketball career, Abdul-Jabbar is a skilled practitioner of martial arts. He holds a black belt in Shotokan karate and has been practicing martial arts since his college days.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's signature move, the skyhook shot, was nearly unstoppable due to his incredible height and wingspan. Standing at 7 feet 2 inches (2.18 meters),
Kareem had a humorous cameo in the 1980 comedy film "Airplane!" In the movie, he played a co-pilot with a history of basketball injuries
Throughout his life, Abdul-Jabbar has been an outspoken advocate for social justice and civil rights. He used his platform as a prominent athlete to address issues related to race, inequality, and political activism.
Kareem has a strong passion for jazz music. In his youth, he initially aspired to become a jazz musician before fully committing to a basketball career.
Besides "Airplane!," Abdul-Jabbar has appeared in various other films and television shows, including "Game of Death" alongside Bruce Lee and TV series like "Full House" and "Scrubs."
Throughout his career, Abdul-Jabbar won a total of six NBA championships, five with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Before entering the NBA, Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor) had an illustrious college career at UCLA under coach John Wooden.
In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded Kareem Abdul-Jabbar the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.