“He’d Have Been 83 Today”: Bruce Lee’s Death Had an Enormous Impact on His Friend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

It isn’t easy to lose a loved one. Grief is one of the few things in this life that no one has a definitive way of overcoming. In 1973, iconic martial artist Bruce Lee unfortunately passed away due to cerebral edema. His death left a scar on the hearts of many, including NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Even 50 years after Lee’s passing, Abdul-Jabbar continues to grieve.

Most fans know Bruce Lee from his appearance in the hit action film Enter the Dragon. Lee helped bridge the gap between the West and the East through the use of martial arts.

Abdul-Jabbar developed an interest in martial arts around the time of Lee’s peak. At that time, Kareem was a student at UCLA and trained in his free time. A friend of his recommended that he seek Lee’s tutelage. He heeded the friend’s advice and ended up forming a fond student/master relationship with Lee. It didn’t take long for the two to become close friends.

The Hall-of-Fame big man even made a cameo in Lee’s film Game of Death. The film hit theaters five years following Lee’s passing and included material the production team had on hand before his death.

Lee’s death was so sudden that Abdul-Jabbar had no idea how to cope with the loss.

“He had been not only my martial arts teacher but my close friend, and I was still young enough to not yet have experienced much profound loss in my life, which is why his death hit me so hard,” Abdul-Jabbar said in a post on his Substack in 2023.

Abdul-Jabbar’s post was in honor the 50th anniversary of Lee’s passing. He took the time to reminisce on all the good memories he had made with his dear friend. It also allowed the six-time NBA champion to reflect on the emotions he still holds.

“Fifty years later, I am way too familiar with profound loss. Family. Friends. Heroes. With each loss, I still feel the pain of my heart being twisted and squeezed like a sponge wrung dry. But I recover. And await the next loss,” Abdul-Jabbar said.

Kareem is currently 78 years old and has lived a long, prosperous life. The downside of living a long life is the possibility of outliving those who hold a special place in his heart. Lee passed at the young age of 32. He didn’t get to reach his full potential, which still weighs heavily on Abdul-Jabbar.

“If he’d lived, he’d have been 83 today. He wouldn’t be jumping and flipping and hitting, but he’d probably be making movies in which other martial artists would be jumping and flipping and hitting. He’d still be a husband, a father, a grandfather. He’d still be my friend,” Abdul-Jabbar said.

Lee’s legacy lives on through his movies and countless good deeds he performed during his life. His legacy also lives on through people like Abdul-Jabbar, who continue to stand for all the things Lee held close to his heart.