Acting
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. (born April 16, 1947) in New York City, grew up in the working-class neighborhood of Harlem in a family of Trinidadian descent, raised in the Catholic tradition and imbued with values such as honor and dignity. An only child, he was quickly marked by his exceptional height: from elementary school onward, he played with the tallest kids, and at fourteen, already over two meters (6'7"), he was able to dunk. His adolescence was punctuated by episodes of social confrontation and learning the art of street basketball, which forged his competitive spirit. Abdul-Jabbar distinguished himself early on at Power Memorial Academy, where he set records for points and rebounds, leading his team to 71 consecutive victories and three New York State high school championships. This period is unanimously recognized as one of the greatest high school basketball careers in history. In 1965, he entered UCLA under the tutelage of John Wooden and dominated the sport, winning three consecutive NCAA titles from 1967 to 1969 and being named the tournament MVP each time. His impact on the game was so significant that the NCAA temporarily banned the dunk during his time there. In 1969, Abdul-Jabbar was the first overall pick in the NBA draft and joined the Milwaukee Bucks. In his first season, he distinguished himself with impressive statistics (28.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists) and was named Rookie of the Year. In 1971, he led the Bucks to the NBA title—the franchise's only championship—and won his first MVP award. It was also during this period that he converted to Islam, taking the name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, publicly affirming his spiritual choice at a time when American society was still experiencing significant racial tensions. Abdul-Jabbar then joined the Los Angeles Lakers, where his career reached legendary proportions. He won five more NBA titles, bringing his total to six, and accumulated six MVP awards. He participated in 19 All-Star Games, was a two-time league scoring champion, and holds the career scoring record (38,387 points). His accolades also include two Finals MVP awards and a multitude of individual and team accolades. He holds eight playoff records and seven All-Star Game records, and was named to the NBA's 35th and 50th Anniversary Teams. Technically, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar revolutionized basketball by inventing, perfecting, and popularizing the "sky hook," a unique move that no one has equaled: a curling arm shot, difficult to block and incredibly effective, which became his signature weapon. He is also recognizable by his protective goggles, which he adopted after an eye injury during his college years. His renown extends far beyond the world of sports: Abdul-Jabbar dedicated his life to the fight for civil rights and the promotion of African American culture, writing several books and regularly participating in public debate. Adored for his athletic achievements, respected for his strength of character and social activism, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar remains, for many, the greatest legend in basketball history—a champion with universal values and an icon whose influence endures far beyond the court.
Filmography
Jerry West: The Logo
Film · 2026
John Candy: I Like Me
Film · 2025
Los Anillos de Pau
Series · 2024
The Iceman
Film · 2023
Stand
Film · 2023
The Final Game of Death
Film · 2023
Night Court
Series · 2023
Bill Russell: Legend
Series · 2023
The Luckiest Guy in the World
Series · 2023
Black Patriots: Heroes of the Civil War
Film · 2022
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Film · 2022
They Call Me Magic
Series · 2022
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Series · 2022
Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers
Series · 2022
A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks
Film · 2021
Fight the Power: The Movements That Changed America
Film · 2021
Muhammad Ali
Series · 2021
Be Water
Film · 2020
Black Patriots: Heroes of the Revolution
Film · 2020
John Bronco
Film · 2020
Saving OurSelves: BET COVID-19 Relief Effort
Film · 2020
DAVE
Series · 2020
Dear...
Series · 2020
Game of Death Redux
Film · 2019
1968
Film · 2018
Basketball: A Love Story
Series · 2018
Basketball: A Love Story
Series · 2018
Shut Up and Dribble
Series · 2018
Beat Shazam
Series · 2017
The Jim Jefferies Show
Series · 2017
Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies
Series · 2017
O.J.: Made in America
Film · 2016
O.J.: Made in America
Series · 2016
Billions
Series · 2016
To Tell the Truth
Series · 2016
Kareem: Minority of One
Film · 2015
Kobe Bryant's Muse
Film · 2015
StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson
Series · 2015
Celebrity Family Feud
Series · 2015
Fresh Off the Boat
Series · 2015
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Series · 2014
Undefeated: The Roger Brown Story
Film · 2013
The Arsenio Hall Show
Series · 2013
The Crazy Ones
Series · 2013
Good Mythical Morning
Series · 2012
Guys with Kids
Series · 2012
On the Shoulders of Giants
Film · 2011
New Girl
Series · 2011
The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear
Film · 2010
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
Film · 2009
Kobe Doin' Work
Film · 2009
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
Series · 2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Series · 2009
The Black List: Volume One
Film · 2008
I Tried
Film · 2007
Los Angeles Lakers: 1984-1985 NBA Champions Return To Glory
Film · 2007
Weapons
Film · 2007
The Big Bang Theory
Series · 2007
Whitepaddy
Film · 2006
Identity
Series · 2006
The Colbert Report
Series · 2005
Dancing with the Stars
Series · 2005
The Colbert Report
Series · 2005
The Celebrity Apprentice
Series · 2004
The Bachelorette
Series · 2003
Reflections on 'the Little Dragon'
Film · 2001
The Unbeatable Bruce Lee
Film · 2001
Scrubs
Series · 2001
Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey
Film · 2000
Bruce Lee in G.O.D.
Film · 2000
The GREATEST : Bruce Lee
Film · 1998
BASEketball
Film · 1998
Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault
Film · 1996
The Journey of the African-American Athlete
Film · 1996
Everybody Loves Raymond
Series · 1996
The Daily Show
Series · 1996
Boston Common
Series · 1996
Bully Smart for Kids
Film · 1995
Forget Paris
Film · 1995
A Night to Die For
Film · 1995
Slam Dunk Ernest
Film · 1995
Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon
Film · 1994
D2: The Mighty Ducks
Film · 1994
The Critic
Series · 1994
The Stand
Series · 1994
The Curse of the Dragon
Film · 1993
Saved by the Bell: The New Class
Series · 1993
Matrix
Series · 1993
Late Show with David Letterman
Series · 1993
Martin
Series · 1992
Philadelphia 76ers 1983 - That Championship Feeling
Film · 1991
Good Sports
Series · 1991
All New Dazzling Dunks and Basketball Bloopers
Film · 1990
The Best of the Martial Arts Films
Film · 1990
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Series · 1990
Hoodwinked
Film · 1989
Troop Beverly Hills
Film · 1989
Detroit Pistons: 1988-1989 NBA Champions - Motor City Madness
Film · 1989
The Simpsons
Series · 1989
Los Angeles Lakers: '87 The Drive For Five
Film · 1987
21 Jump Street
Series · 1987
Full House
Series · 1987
Bustin' Loose
Series · 1987
Ask Max
Film · 1986
Amen
Series · 1986
Fletch
Film · 1985
All-Star Rock 'N' Wrestling Saturday Spectacular
Film · 1985
Stingray
Series · 1985
The Hero Who Couldn't Read
Film · 1984
Olympic Gala
Film · 1984
Tales from the Darkside
Series · 1984
Los Angeles Lakers 1982 NBA Champions - Something to Prove
Film · 1982
Airplane!
Film · 1980
The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
Film · 1979
The Visitor
Film · 1979
Game of Death
Film · 1978
Diff'rent Strokes
Series · 1978
Man from Atlantis
Series · 1977
The Game of Death
Film · 1974
Emergency!
Series · 1972
Mannix
Series · 1967
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Series · 1962
The Merv Griffin Show
Series · 1962
The Oscars
Series · 1953