Offensive Game
The all-time NBA scoring leader. Invented the skyhook — statistically the most efficient shot in history at the positions Kareem occupied. Elite from every area of the floor.
Career Journey
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a center whose presence anchors the frontcourt defensively and provides rebounding and finishing near the rim with the Milwaukee Bucks. His career is anchored by #2 all-time scorer — Held the all-time scoring record (38,387 points) for 39 years until LeBron James broke it in 2023..
Career highlights include: 6x NBA MVP — Won a record 6 MVP awards (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980).; #2 All-Time Scorer — Held the all-time scoring record (38,387 points) for 39 years until LeBron James broke it in 2023.; #3 All-Time Rebounds Leader — Third on the all-time rebounds list with 17,440..
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar attended UCLA.
Offensive Game
The all-time NBA scoring leader. Invented the skyhook — statistically the most efficient shot in history at the positions Kareem occupied. Elite from every area of the floor.
Defensive Game
Elite shot-blocker and interior presence. His combination of length, positioning, and timing made driving lanes disappear for opponents.
Intangibles
All articles
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gave Milwaukee six seasons, three MVP awards, and the franchise's only championship before departing for LA. Why #33 belongs in the rafters forever.
Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
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Cap
Milwaukee Bucks
1969-1975
Los Angeles Lakers
1975-1989
Featured Achievements
#2 All-Time Scorer
38,387 points#2 All-Time
Held the all-time scoring record (38,387 points) for 39 years until LeBron James broke it in 2023.
6x NBA Champion
6 ringsWon 6 championships — 1 with the Bucks (1971) and 5 with the Lakers (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988).
6x NBA MVP
6x (record)Won a record 6 MVP awards (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980).
19x NBA All-Star
19xSelected to 19 All-Star Games — tied for most in history.
The Skyhook
Signature MoveInvented the most unblockable shot in basketball history — the skyhook. Virtually unstoppable throughout his 20-year career.
#3 All-Time Rebounds Leader
17,440 rebounds#3 All-Time Blocks Leader
3,189 blocksOne of the most intelligent basketball players in history — understood angles, timing, and opponent tendencies at a level that produced 20+ years of elite production.
Personal Life & Family
Partner
Habiba Abdul-Jabbar (divorced 1978)
Children (4)
Parents & Siblings
Off the Court
Multiple myeloma research (his own diagnosis in 2008)
Literacy programs in underserved communities
Did You Know?
Changed his name from Lew Alcindor to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1971 after converting to Islam — one of the most significant acts of personal identity in sports history.
Trained in Jeet Kune Do under Bruce Lee — a personal friendship that influenced his approach to movement and martial arts philosophy.
The skyhook was developed in part as a response to the NCAA's ban on dunking, which was widely seen as targeting him specifically.
After his playing career, became a prolific author and social justice advocate — his intellectual legacy rivals his athletic one.
Career Honors
6x NBA Champion (1971 MIL, 1980 LAL, 1982 LAL, 1985 LAL, 1987 LAL, 1988 LAL)
6x NBA MVP (most in history)
2x NBA Finals MVP
19x NBA All-Star
NBA All-Time Scoring Leader (38,387 pts — held 39 years)
Presidential Medal of Freedom 2016
NBA 75th Anniversary Team
Official Jerseys

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Shop Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on AmazonSix MVPs, six rings, 38,387 points, and the one shot no one could block or copy. Why the Lakers retired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's #33 — the skyhook, Showtime, and the longest peak basketball has seen.
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