Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Should Be in the Goat Conversation
When it comes to the GOAT (greatest of all time) conversation, we think of Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. However, another name should be a part of the discussion: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Here are some highlights of Kareem’s career in both college and professional basketball:
- 6x NBA champion
- 2x NBA Finals Most Valuable Player
- 6x NBA Most Valuable Player
- 19x NBA All-Star
- 10x All-NBA First Team
- 1969-70 NBA Rookie of the Year
- 2x NBA scoring champion
- NBA 75th Anniversary Team
- 3x NCAA champion
- Hall of Fame
Early Career
Kareem was born in Harlem, New York, and started to shine in basketball in high school. He broke numerous records and led his team to three straight championships and a 71-game winning streak. Because of this, he earned the nickname “The Tower of Power.”
After high school, Kareem had the choice of going to college, joining the Harlem Globetrotters, or playing professionally overseas. He decided to join UCLA. This was a great decision because he was able to hone his skills and play for a well-renowned college basketball program.
At UCLA, the legendary John Wooden coached Kareem (then known as Lew Alcindor). They both established a winning culture and won three NCAA championships together. This is a crucial aspect of how Kareem developed as one of the best players of all time. The fact that he had a great coach and mentor is an excellent example of why being on a great team with a coaching staff that knows how to develop players is essential.
NBA Career
After college, Kareem was drafted first overall by the Milwaukee Bucks and won his first title there. This is one of his best championship accolades because he won in a small-market city, which is challenging. However, his career with the Los Angeles Lakers was more well-regarded.
In 1975, Kareem was traded to the Lakers and won five championships with squads that had Magic Johnson and James Worthy. Those Laker teams served as a blueprint for today’s game: fast-paced with a lot of passing. The only difference in today’s game is that more players shoot three-pointers.
After he retired, Kareem was the NBA all-time leader in points. That record hadn’t been broken until LeBron surpassed him in February 2023.
Kareem won both in college and in the NBA and has been consistent in winning throughout his whole career. His skyhook was virtually unblockable, and he was a player that had finesse.
He doesn’t have shoes like Jordan or the fan bases of LeBron and Kobe, but Kareem’s skill set and accomplishments can’t be ignored. His leadership and basketball IQ make Kareem stand out, which is why many of his teammates relied on him.
Kareem was also a star off the court. He studied martial arts under Bruce Lee and even starred in one of his films. Thus, regardless of what people say, Kareem should be in the GOAT conversation.
