Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had an extraordinary NBA career, starting in 1969 and finishing in 1989. People tend to remember him now more for his role in the Showtime Lakers, but he had already been in the NBA for 10 years when Magic Johnson arrived and the perception of the iconic big man was very different pre-Magic.
After he was traded to the Lakers, Kareem was often seen aloof and difficult, which was probably unfair. What he always was was a supremely talented player and a deeply sensitive man. He was at times
aloof though and when Johnson jumped into his arms after his first win as a Laker, Kareem was not sure what to think about the rookie. No teammate had cared as much about winning in years.
Ultimately, pairing Magic and Kareem changed the public perception of the big man, but that was on the backside of his career.
In his prime, there was no one quite like Jabbar. He was a revolutionary player. Wilt Chamberlain was more talented, but he was purely a center. Kareem developed a remarkable game and didn’t move like a traditional big man.
However, he did refine the hook shot into a deadly weapon to the point where you wonder why guys like Victor Wembanyama and Khaman Maluauch didn’t run to the gym to do the Mikan drill.
Although older Kareem won more championships, Young Kareem was a brilliant talent who utterly changed the game. It’s a shame he didn’t have more talent around him in his early Laker days.
Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions | Drop us a line
