Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is 75 years old today. He is old as the NBA and perhaps even as iconic as the game itself.
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Players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have shaped an entire generation of basketball players and more than that, he has also been a part of a revolution.
He has played many roles in his lifetime, apart from that of a basketball player. He was an activist, educator, author, cancer survivor, black history educator, and even an actor!
Yes, he appeared in Bruce Lee’s Game of Death as an iconic villain. Since then he has appeared on TV multiple times.
Funky bday to the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, shown here unleashing a different kind of sky hook on the set of Bruce Lee’s Game of Death. pic.twitter.com/338P7lk46l
— Dan Epstein (@BigHairPlasGras) April 16, 2018
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had a legacy unlike any other!
There are very few players that have had the impact that he did in the game of basketball. During his time with the Lakers, he won six championships and MVP awards, the latter is an NBA record.
Most notably, he holds the record for the most amount of points scored in NBA history. The record is about to be broken by LeBron James. While it may last just a little longer, it is important to cherish the life of the Legend who holds it.
The reason why he holds the scoring record to this day is because of his sheer longevity and scoring prowess. He was a two-time scoring champ and he invented a move that is virtually unstoppable. The skyhook.
The most deadly weapon in sports history, the sky hook.
It’s a tragedy no one uses this shot today.
Happy bday to my friend @ShowtimeCooper & the legendary @kaj33 https://t.co/S8KUiezPts pic.twitter.com/BJwCORdLat
— Nick Gelso (@CLNS_Nick) April 16, 2020
While today’s NBA players may not use the move and a majority know him as an Icon, he is still seen as a league legend. His voice and legacy extend well beyond the NBA as Kareem is one of only five players to be awarded the presidential medal of freedom.
