It is former Lakers star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Full name Kareem Abdul Jabbar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Birthplace: United States, New York< /p>
Height: 7 feet 2 inches (2.18 meters), the tallest center at the time
Weight: 267 pounds (121 kilograms)
Position: Center
University: UCLA
Teams played for: Milwaukee Bucks (1969-1975 season), Los Angeles Lakers (1975-1989 season)
NBA career : Joined the Milwaukee Bucks in 1969 and retired with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1989
Jersey number: 33
1969-1970 NBA Rookie of the Year, NBA Most Valuable Player MVP ( *** six times), two-time Finals MVP, NBA 50 superstar, and was elected to the NBA Hall of Fame in 1995.
In 1989, when the 42-year-old Kareem Abdul-Jabbar left the NBA, he left behind a series of brilliant records that are difficult for future generations to match: the most points in history, the most blocks in history, the most regular He has the most MVP awards, the most All-Star selections and the longest career season. He also personally created perhaps the most awe-inspiring personal and team honor list in NBA history: Rookie of the Year, 6 championships, 6 regular season MVPs, 2 Finals MVPs, and 19 All-Star selections. , 2-time scoring champion, and was selected into the all-time All-Star lineup for the NBA's 35th and 50th anniversary celebrations. He also holds 8 playoff records and 7 All-Star records. No NBA superstar can compete with Abdul-Jabbar on the word "honor".
Abdul-Jabbar has his own unique regimen and training methods, which makes his career seem unparalleled and long, making it difficult for others to imitate. Even if someone can imitate it, then he has another special skill that no other person in history can copy. Yes, this is his registered trademark "Tiangou". Although Jabbar himself thinks this is not masculine enough, it is undeniable that this move is indeed one of the most efficient moves in all professional sports. A true all-around player, Jabbar injects a fresh element of elegance, flexibility and versatility into the age-old center position, which before him was often thought of as having only two characteristics: strength and size.
Despite all his incredible achievements, it was only in the twilight of his career that Jabbar began to win over fans. He is an introverted, withdrawn, cold man who always deliberately avoids the pressure of the public and the news media, which makes him feel unapproachable. As he once told The Sporting News: "I'm the worst of all bad guys."
As time went by, Jabbar's personality changed, becoming cheerful and laughing. It started coming to him more. By the end of his career, the league's fans, players and coaches finally accepted him. In the 1988-89 season, when he was about to retire, Jabbar received a wave of welcome and blessings in all the league's arenas.
Pat Riley, the coach of the Miami Heat, had a master-disciple relationship with Jabbar for 8 years in Los Angeles. He once vindicated his disciple in the famous "Sports Illustrated": "Why should you care about other irrelevant things? thing? When a man endures tremendous pressure and criticism, continues to break records and win championships, why should people criticize him for other things? ”
Abdul-Jabbar was born in New York City, just two years after the end of World War II. Jabbar's original name was Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr., as the only son of the family, he was extremely doted on by his mother, but his father was a rigid, rough and severe man, so it is said that Alcindor disliked his father very much.
Due to his soaring height, the young Alcindor was quickly regarded as a freak and a clown by his classmates in Harlem school, but he soon swept the streets and high school basketball circles of New York with his innate basketball talent. , and was immediately recruited to UCLA by the discerning NCAA coach John Wooden, where he began his magnificent college basketball career.
Alcindor quickly changed the entire NCAA order. Except for being unable to represent the school team in his freshman year due to league regulations, in 1967 and 1969, Alcindor was selected by many authoritative organizations such as "Sporting News", United Press International, the Associated Press, and the American Basketball Writers Association. He was the Player of the Year, and for three consecutive years from 1967 to 1969, he completely dominated the MOP Award and the center position of the All-American First Team. Due to Alcindor's lethal rule, John Wooden and his UCLA also naturally pocketed all the NCAA championship trophies in three years.
The new Milwaukee Bucks, who were only in their second year of founding the team, had bad luck. They won the No. 1 pick in the 1969 draft, and used it to select the world-dominated Alcindor. It's easy to feel sorry for them in their debut season, with 27 wins and 55 losses, tied for last place with the Phoenix Suns, but Milwaukee is more accomplished at the coin guessing game, and Phoenix can only sigh with regret. Everyone knows that the time for a dynasty change has come, and a new super center is about to dominate the world. Bill Russell just left Boston with a pocketful of rings. As for Wilt Chamberlain, although he has maintained considerable efficiency, he is already 35 years old and his career is running out. With Alcindor in the center, the Bucks easily posted 56 wins and 26 losses, leaping to second place in the Eastern Conference at rocket speed. Alcindor is like a plug-and-play microwave oven, without any of the rawness or excessiveness that a rookie should have. He ranked second in the scoring list with 28.8 points per game and ranked third in the rebounding list with 14.5 rebounds. He was the undisputed winner. Rookie of the Year.
In the offseason of that year, the Bucks made every effort and obtained the last piece of their championship puzzle through exchange: 31-year-old super guard Oscar Robertson of the Cincinnati Royals. With the combination of "Big O" and "Sky Hook" inside and outside, plus Bobby Dandridge, Jon McGlocklin, Greg Smith, Lucius Allen and other elite players, Milwaukee won an astonishing 66 games in the 1970-71 season, leading the entire league. league, including a record-breaking 20-game winning streak. With a perfect performance of 31.7 points (first in the league) and 16 rebounds (fourth in the league) per game, Alcindor was crowned his first MVP statuette. In the playoffs, the Bucks went 12-2 and swept the Baltimore Bullets 4-0 in the finals - the second time in NBA history that the Bucks were swept in the finals - and won the championship in the third year after the team was founded. Alcindor added another Finals MVP trophy to the honor book without any suspense.
Before the start of the 1971-72 season, Alcindor converted from Catholicism to Islam and changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, which means "Noble and Powerful Servant". In fact, he is indeed a noble and powerful player, and his status in Milwaukee is like a star in the sky. That season, he defended the scoring title and MVP with 34.8 points, and the Bucks also won the division championship for the second time in four years. In the following 1973-74 season, Jabbar, who had just been in the league for four years, actually won the MVP trophy for the third time. At the same time, he ranked among the top five in the league in four important technical statistics: 27 points per game (third), 14.5 Rebounds (4th), 283 blocks (2nd), 53.9% shooting (2nd).
In 1974, the Bucks returned to the NBA Finals, but unfortunately lost to the Celtics led by 6-foot-9 center Dave Cowens. The 35-year-old Oscar Robertson showed his age in this series and was embarrassed by Boston's swift defense line. After the season, "Big O" announced his retirement, and the Bucks' golden years also came to an end.
In the 1974-75 season, their winning percentage was a miserable 38 wins and 44 losses.
Despite his brilliant success in Milwaukee, Jabbar increasingly felt out of tune with the city due to his religious beliefs and some life problems. He applied to the management to transfer to New York or Los Angeles. Bucks manager Wayne Embry knew that there was no hope of retaining anyone, so he had to agree. In 1975, the Bucks sent Jabbar to the beautiful City of Angels in exchange for Junior Bridgeman, Dave Meyers, Elmore Smith and Brian Winters. For Jabbar himself, he may not realize that the second dynasty of his career has gradually taken shape.
As early as two years ago, Chamberlain announced his retirement, and the Lakers quickly experienced a landslide of 30 wins and 52 losses in the 1974-75 season. As soon as Jabbar arrived with the Lakers, he helped the team turn around 10 wins. At the same time, with his ultra-stable performance of 27.7 points and 16.9 rebounds, he won the fourth regular season MVP in his seven-year career.
The following season, Lakers veteran Jerry West was invited to serve as the team's head coach. The godfather quickly led his juniors to get on the right track and win the regular season championship with a record of 53 wins and 29 losses. What about Jabbar? Looking at his data sheet of 26.2 points, 13.3 rebounds, 57.9% shooting and 261 blocks per game, you can guess that the fifth MVP in 8 years is once again in the bag of "Skyhook". This record, which is almost a bit aesthetically tiring, also equals the legendary Bill Russell. However, the Lakers received four broomsticks from the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals, with another golden name engraved on them: Bill Walton.
Although Jabbar worked hard as always, the Lakers' record in the next two years was always in the middle of the league. In the 1977-78 season, Jabbar injured his hand in a fight with Bucks rookie Kent Benson and was forced to sit out 20 games. Of course, there is good news. For example, young Jamaal Wilkes and Norm Nixon are beginning to emerge, which also shows that the Lakers' ambitions are by no means as simple as being a mid-range team.
In 1979, the Lakers used the first-round pick obtained from the Jazz to select the 6-foot-9 point guard from Michigan State University-"Magic" Earvin Johnson. His arrival marked the official beginning of the Lakers' decade of dominance in the league, and also brought Jabbar five more championship trophies in his career. Utilizing a lightning-fast break scheme widely known as "Showtime," the Lakers won nine division titles in the last 10 years of Jabbar's career.
In the first year of "Magic", the Lakers won 60 games and won 12 of the 16 playoff games with great momentum, successfully advancing to the 1980 Finals. In Game 6, there was the story of the famous rookie "Magic" replacing the injured Jabbar as the center. The cause was that Jabbar suffered a severe ankle sprain in Game 5. He had just scored 40 points to help the Lakers win the crucial "Tianwang Mountain". The 33-year-old "Sky Hook" was unable to play in Game 6. At this time, the 20-year-old rookie Magic stepped forward and helped the Lakers defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 123:107 with a perfect performance of 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists. Aim for the championship. The great significance of this season is that Jabbar, who averaged 24.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, won the 6th regular season MVP trophy of his career. This unprecedented record still stands at the top of the NBA. Reachable.
In the next six seasons, Jabbar maintained a competitive level of at least 20 points per game, but as he grew older, his rebounds gradually dropped to 6-8 per game. Due to proper maintenance and training, Jabbar has always maintained a perfect body shape, and his physical strength ensures that he can still complete 32-35 minutes of high-intensity games after he is in his 30s. You know, the vast majority of NBA players had already retired and returned home when they were Jabbar's age.
"He is the most wonderful athlete in the history of sports," Magic Johnson praised his comrade to reporter Gary Smith. In the later years of his career, scientific and reasonable training and life arrangements have become increasingly important. He maintains competitive shape by practicing yoga and martial arts. At the same time, before each game, Jabbar will spend some time meditating to reduce the stress of the game.
On April 5, 1984, in a game against the Utah Jazz in Las Vegas, Jabbar personally completed the moment that solidified history. During an offense, he received a pass from Magic Johnson, turned around and used his special skill "sky hook", and the basketball hit the net. This goal marked Jabbar's career total score reaching a milestone of 31,420 points, surpassing Chamberlain to become the total scoring leader in the entire NBA!
From 1979-80 to the 1988-89 season, the powerful Lakers entered the NBA Finals 8 times in 10 years, winning 5 of them. The Celtics and 76ers both lost twice, and the emerging Detroit I also broke down and fell into the sand once. The 1985 finals may be Jabbar's most treasured memory in his later years. The 38-year-old Lao Tiangou at the time was considered by many experts to be on vacation. Judging from his performance in the first game, they were undoubtedly correct. Jabbar only scored 12 points and 3 rebounds in the matchup with Robert Parish. The Celtics defeated the Lakers 148:114. This day was later called "Holocaust Day."
Feeling humiliated, Jabbar used the two days of rest to repeatedly watch the game video, and used cruel marathons and anaerobic exercises to maintain his strength, so that head coach Pat Riley had to force Jabbar to stop many times. Next rest.
In Game 2, Jabbar suddenly woke up from his sleeping lion. He scored 30 points, 17 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 blocks like a volcanic eruption. The Lakers responded to their opponent 109:102. In the end, the Lakers defeated the Celtics 4:2. In these 4 wins, Jabbar averaged 30.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2 blocks per game. The particularly touching scene was when Jabbar took off the rebound and ran across the court alone, performing a "sky hook" to score two goals. points, even falling to the ground to fight for an out-of-bounds floor ball. Pat Riley, who was deeply shocked, said to the reporter of "Sports Illustrated": "Did you see it? There is something called passion." With his miraculous performance, Jabbar won the finals MVP that year.
Jabbar later recalled that the 1985 championship ring was perhaps the sweetest and most commemorative of the six rings in his showroom. The reason is that it comes from the devilish Boston Garden Arena, where the Celtics defeated them just a year ago, not to mention the humiliation and tears the Lakers endured during Russell's reign.
In the 1986-87 season, the Lakers once again defeated the Celtics and won the championship. This time the "Magician" stole all the light, and Jabbar just played the role of green leaf conscientiously. This season Jabbar's scoring dropped below the 20 mark for the first time, scoring only 17.5 points. However, the Lakers still chose to extend the 40-year-old Jabbar's contract for two years. Facts have proved that their choice was correct. In the second year, the Lakers fought hard and finally stepped over the corpse of the Pistons to win the championship. This made them the first team to successfully defend the championship since Boston in 1969.
The 1988-89 season was Jabbar's farewell season. The Lakers once again entered the Finals, facing the comeback Detroit Pistons. Jabbar burned the last energy in the third game, contributing 24 points and 13 rebounds, but due to the injuries of "Magic" and Byron Scott, the Lakers were tragically swept. In the last game of his career, Jabbar scored 7 points and 3 rebounds. Jabbar's shooting percentage this season was only 47.5%, less than half for the first time in his career, and his scoring dropped to a low of 10.1 points.
Jabbar's retirement marks the end of an entire era in the NBA.
He left with the title of the all-time scoring leader - an honor that may never be broken. His character sheet was filled with 38,387 points (24.6 points per game), 17,440 rebounds (11.2 per game), 3,189 blocks, incredible statistics such as 55.9% shooting rate, and awe-inspiring 20 professional years and 1,560 professional games. He also set an astonishing record of scoring in double figures in 787 consecutive games.
Many years after retiring, Jabbar once told a reporter from the "Orange County Register": "What I did in the 1980s was enough to offset all the abuse and accusations people made against me in the 1970s. I am better than all Critics are patient. By the time I retire, people have given me enough respect. Many things will really change." After taking off his military uniform, Jabbar once joined the entertainment industry. He has played the role of "basketball promotion ambassador" many times. He has been a coach, a broadcaster, and a vocal advocate for the fight against hunger and the eradication of illiteracy. In 1995, the great Kareem Abul-Jabbar was successfully entered into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.