How many NBA seasons did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar play?
How many NBA seasons did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar play? originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
LeBron James did the unthinkable on Tuesday. His 38 points against the Thunder were enough to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the record books for most career regular-season points, a benchmark that stood for nearly four decades.
Abdul-Jabbar was present for the record-breaking performance at Crypto.com Arena and joined James on the court for a ceremony near the end of the third quarter.
At 75, Abdul-Jabbar remains a towering figure around the NBA. Since retiring, the 7-footer has earned the reputation of a true Renaissance man for his involvement as an activist, occasional Hollywood star and government appointee, all while taking on the unofficial role to promote the NBA.
Born in 1947 as Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr., he went by Lew Alcindor until 1971 when he converted to Islam and adopted the name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
His talent — and height – were evident from a young age as he dominated the youth leagues in New York. He led Power Memorial Academy to three consecutive national high school championship appearances, winning his sophomore and junior seasons.
Playing under John Wooden at UCLA, Abdul-Jabbar continued to electrify crowds, leading the Bruins to three straight national titles and setting countless scoring records that still stand today, including most points in a game (61), career points-per-game (26.4) and points in a single season (870).
This illustrious college career set the stage for a Hall of Fame career.
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When did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar enter the NBA?
The Milwaukee Bucks — in only their second year of existence — took Abdul-Jabbar with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1969 NBA Draft. He spent six seasons in Milwaukee, winning an NBA Championship in his second season, before returning to Los Angeles and winning five more titles with the Lakers.
When did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar set the scoring record?
Abdul-Jabbar broke the scoring record on April 5, 1984 against the Utah…
