Talk:Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
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The caption in the article: "Look ma! I can fly!"
Um...is this really an appropriate caption for an enclyclopedia? Also the picture has a noticeably black square in the top right corner - maybe a better quality picture could be found?
- Sir, you can change the caption, something like "Kareem dunking in Lakers uniform during team photo shot", might be better. Also, you can crop the photo, it has a lot of wasted space on the right side. As far as a better picture, you need one with permission, so you can post one without permission that may get removed, post one of your own, or try and obtain one "WITH" permission, which may be difficult. Thanks WikiDon 17:47, 27 July 2005 (UTC)
I'm afraid we have here a HUGE copyright infringement. See this web page : [1]. We may have to rewrite the article Mrbluesky 23:19, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
- Wow. That text was totally ripped. I'll see what I can do. Kaisershatner 16:46, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
Here's the rest of it:
Chamberlain had retired two years earlier, a fact that helped explain the Lakers' 30-52 record and last-place finish in 1974-75. Abdul-Jabbar helped bring about a 10-game turnaround in his first season in Los Angeles. His contributions (27.7 ppg, 16.9 rpg) won him yet another NBA Most Valuable Player Award, his fourth in only seven years in the league.
The following season Jerry West was hired as the Lakers' coach, and he guided the team back into first place with a league-best 53-29 record. Abdul-Jabbar (26.2 ppg, 13.3 rpg, .579 field-goal percentage, 261 blocks) was named Most Valuable Player for the fifth time in eight years, tying Celtics legend Bill Russell's record.
In 1979, using a first-round draft pick obtained from the Utah Jazz, the Lakers selected a 6-9 point guard named Earvin "Magic" Johnson from Michigan State. Johnson's arrival marked the beginning of a decade that would bring Abdul-Jabbar five more championship rings. With a blitzkrieg fast break that came to be known as "Showtime," the Lakers won nine division titles in the final 10 years of Abdul-Jabbar's career.
In Johnson's first season the Lakers won 60 games, and they lost only 4 of 16 postseason contests en route to the 1980 NBA Championship. In a moment that would link the two superstars forever, Johnson jumped center for the injured Abdul-Jabbar in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. Abdul-Jabbar had severely sprained his ankle in Game 5 after scoring 40 points to help the Lakers take the series lead. The 33-year-old center couldn't play in Game 6, so the 20-year-old rookie took Jabbar's position and went on to tally 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, leading the Lakers to a 123-107 victory and the championship. For the season, Abdul-Jabbar (24.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg) further cemented his place in history by winning a record sixth MVP Award.
Abdul-Jabbar continued to average at least 20 points for the next six seasons. He practiced yoga and martial arts to keep his arms and legs strong and limber, and he meditated before every game to reduce stress.
On April 5, 1984, in a game against the Utah Jazz played in Las Vegas, Abdul-Jabbar had perhaps his finest moment. Taking a pass from Magic Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar whirled and launched his trademark sky-hook toward the hoop. The shot drew nothing but net, giving Abdul-Jabbar career point No. 31,420, which vaulted him past Wilt Chamberlain as the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
The Lakers reached the NBA Finals eight times in the 10 seasons between 1979-80 and 1988-89. They won five titles, beating Boston and Philadelphia twice each and the Detroit Pistons once. The 1985 series against Boston was perhaps the most satisfying for Abdul-Jabbar. At age 38 the league's senior center was thought by many observers to be washed up. In Game 1 it looked as though they were right -- Abdul-Jabbar had only 12 points and 3 rebounds in his matchup with Robert Parish. The Celtics romped to a 148-114 win in what became known as "the Memorial Day Massacre."
In Game 2, Abdul-Jabbar recorded 30 points, 17 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 blocked shots in a 109-102 Lakers win. Los Angeles went on to win the series in six games. In the Lakers' four victories Abdul-Jabbar averaged 30.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.0 blocks. In one memorable sequence Abdul-Jabbar grabbed a rebound, drove the length of the court and swished a sky-hook. He even dove for a loose ball. "What you saw," Riley told Sports Illustrated, "was passion." Abdul-Jabbar was named Finals MVP.
Abdul-Jabbar's retirement marked the end of an era for the NBA. He left the game as the games all-time scorer, which may never be surpassed, with 38,387 points (24.6 ppg), 17,440 rebounds (11.2 rpg), 3,189 blocks, and a .559 field-goal percentage from a career that spanned 20 years and 1,560 games. He scored in double figures in 787 straight games.
[edit] Celebrity Jeopardy
Someone should mention his dominating performance on Celebrity Jeopardy. (The actual show, not the SNL parody.) I think he was up against Martina Narvatalova and Reggie Jackson. Kareem finished with something obscene like $150,000 (back before they doubled the values), I think the other contestants were still in the hundreds!
[edit] Relationship with Bruce Lee
Why so little about that? I thought that was a big highlight of his life, but this article barely covers it.
[edit] Ok...
His Lakers career is barely mentioned. Just passed over. That definitely needs to be worked on (his role in the "Showtime" Team - semi-rivalry with Robert Parish etc.) --Knucmo2 12:12, 28 January 2006 (UTC)
