Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr., the sole child of Cora and Ferdinand Alcindor, was born in New York City and became the great athlete known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. As he was known, the young Lew Alcindor was a passionate sportsman. He developed swiftly, and during his time in school, he was the tallest student there.
Abdul-Jabbar’s Personal Life
Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr., the ancestor of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, was born in New York City on April 16, 1947. Alcindor was always the tallest child in his class. He was the only child of New York City policeman Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr. and his wife, Cora.
When he turned nine, Lew Alcindor, as he was known, was an astounding 5'8". By the time he entered eighth grade, he had gained another full foot and was capable of slam dunks.
He got into the sport at a young age. Few could match Alcindor's high school career at Power Memorial Academy. He led his team to an incredible 71 straight victories and three straight city championships while setting New York City school records in scoring and rebounds. The team of Alcindor was awarded "The #1 High School Team of the Century" by the National Sports Writers in 2000.
His Career
The most prolific scorer in the history of the NBA, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, won six of the sport's most illustrious championships, including five during 20 years while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. His resume includes some of the most amazing accomplishments in league history.
Kareem won the NBA MVP award six times and the NBA Finals MVP award twice, in addition to being a part of six NBA championship teams. He is also a member of the 35th and 50th NBA Anniversary All-Time Teams, a two-time scoring champion, and a 19-time All-Star. And if that weren't enough, Kareem also has the honor of holding seven All-Star and eight playoff records.
Another player has never matched Kareem Abdul-accomplishments Jabbar's success.
In 1996, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was ranked among the top 50 NBA players of all time. According to Julius Erving, Pat Riley, and Isiah Thomas, he is the best basketball player to play the game.
According to ESPN, he is the second-best player in NBA history, the best player in college basketball history, and the best center of all time (only next to Michael Jordan).
He received the Double Helix Medal in 2011 in recognition of his efforts to raise awareness about cancer research. The New York Institute of Technology also gave him an honorary degree.
In 2012, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chose him to represent the United States as a worldwide cultural ambassador. President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016. Working for the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar has stayed within the sport he loves since he retired. He even worked as a coach for a year on the White Mountain Apache tribe in Arizona; he wrote about this experience in the book A Season on the Reservation, published in 2000.