| When he retired at the age of 42, he took with | | | | UCLA career with 3 National Championships, |
| him records for most points scored by an NBA | | | | Named 1st Team All-American 3 Times (67,68 & |
| player, most blocked shots, most MVP awards, | | | | 69), selected as Player of the Year in 1967 and |
| most appearances in All-Star games, and most | | | | 1969 by The Sporting News, United Press |
| seasons played. To put it simply, Kareem | | | | International, the Associated Press and the U.S. |
| Abdul-Jabbar composed the most impressive | | | | Basketball Writers Association, and Named Most |
| personal and team accomplishments in the history | | | | Outstanding Player in the NCAA Tournament in |
| of the NBA! He was named Rookie of the Year, | | | | 1967, 1968 and 1969. Finished lording over the |
| was a member of 6 NBA championship teams, | | | | NCAA he then took his game to the NBA. |
| was a six-time NBA MVP, was named NBA Finals | | | | He was drafted as the first pick in the 1969 NBA |
| MVP twice, was selected the All-Star team 19 | | | | Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks were a |
| times, league scoring champion twice, and | | | | young team in only in it's second season. In his |
| selected as a member of the NBA 35th and 50th | | | | first year Alcindor averaged 28.8 points (2nd in |
| Anniversary All-Time Teams. And, no one was | | | | the NBA) and 14.5 rebounds (3rd) to lead the |
| too amazed as Kareem had been a dominant | | | | Bucks to an improved record of 56-26. They |
| force in basketball since his high school days. | | | | would reach the Eastern Division finals only to be |
| Kareem's first or original name was Ferdinand | | | | beaten by the Knicks. Lew was awarded the |
| Lewis Alcindor (he would later change it to | | | | League's Rookie of the Year Award. |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). He went by Lew Alcindor. | | | | After acquiring the legendary Oscar Robertson, |
| His basketball dominance began in high school, | | | | the Milwaukee Bucks went on to become a |
| where he led Power Memorial High School to a 72 | | | | dominant team and recorded 66 victories in the |
| game winning streak and an overall record of 96 | | | | 70-71 season. Alcindor was awarded the NBA |
| and 6. As a sophomore at Power Memorial, he | | | | Most Valuable Player Award and his first NBA |
| averaged 19 points and 18 rebounds for an | | | | Scoring Title. The Bucks went on to dominate in |
| undefeated team. His high school team was | | | | the playoffs, going 12 and 2. They swept the |
| unbeaten in Alcindor's junior season as well. The | | | | Baltimore Bullets in 4 games in the NBA finals. He |
| next year, for the first time in 72 games, they | | | | had won his first NBA title and was named NBA |
| lost a game to DeMatha Catholic High School (of | | | | Finals MVP. It was after this series that he |
| Maryland), 46-43. It was the only loss for Power | | | | announced that his legal name was Kareem |
| in 3 years. In 1965 Lew Alcindor finished his high | | | | Abdul-Jabbar, which translates to "noble, servant |
| school career with 2,067 points and 2,002 | | | | of the powerful one". |
| rebounds, both of which are New York City | | | | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar went on to win the NBA |
| records. Kareem was the greatest high school | | | | Most Valuable Player award during the 71-72, and |
| basketball player of his time. | | | | 72-73 seasons. In 1974 the Bucks were once |
| He chose UCLA to continue with his basketball | | | | again in the NBA Finals, but would lose to the |
| development, and once again, he was a dominant | | | | Boston Celtics. Kareem asked for a trade during |
| force in college. Back in those days, freshmen | | | | the 74-75 season. In 1975, the Lakers acquired |
| were not eligible to play varsity, but in a exhibition | | | | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and reserve center Walt |
| game, with 31 points, 21 rebounds and 7 blocked | | | | Wesley from the Bucks for center Elmore Smith, |
| shots Alcindor led his freshman team to a victory | | | | guard Brian Winters, and rookies Dave Meyers |
| over UCLA's 2- time NCAA Championship varsity | | | | and Junior Bridgeman. |
| team, 75-60. During his first ever varsity game | | | | Kareem won the MVP award in the 75-76 season, |
| (66-67), Lew Alcindor set a UCLA scoring record | | | | but the Lakers failed to reach the playoffs. He |
| with 56 points. He averaged 29 points and 15.5 | | | | again was named MVP in 76-777 when the Lakers |
| rebounds with a .667 shooting percentage for the | | | | made the playoffs, only to be stopped by the |
| year as UCLA went 30-0. They would end the | | | | eventual champion Portland Trail Blazers. In 1979 |
| season with a victory in the NCAA Championships | | | | the Lakers drafter Earvin "Magic" Johnson, and |
| against University of Dayton, 79-64. Lew Alcindor | | | | this would begin a run of Championships. The |
| would go on to lead UCLA to 2 more NCAA | | | | Lakers would go on to win the 5 NBA titles in the |
| Championships; he won a national title every year | | | | next 10 years. All the while Kareem was putting |
| in varsity basketball in college! Alcindor finished his | | | | up dominant performances game in ad game out. |