Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses racial discrimination and racial violence.

Abdul-Jabbar reflects on how he embraced his own path in life instead of allowing outside influences to pressure him into conforming. At the age of 24, after winning the NBA championship and receiving the title of “Most Valuable Player,” Abdul-Jabbar revealed to the world that he had converted from Catholicism to Islam. As part of this conversion, he decided to also change his name from Lew Alcindor to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. By shedding his old identity, Abdul-Jabbar was also able to rid himself of the last name that his family inherited from slave owners, rather than their African ancestors, whom he wanted to honor. While Abdul-Jabbar felt pleased to embrace his new name, this transformation left many people feeling hurt or threatened, from family and friends to teammates and fans. He attributes this to the unfamiliarity of his new name and faith. Abdul-Jabbar explains that many coaches, teachers, and friends influenced him over the course of his life and career, but in the end, he had to decide for himself which path he would follow.