Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Known for Acting · 117 credits
- Born
- 1947-04-17 (age 79)
- Place of birth
- Harlem, New York City, New York, USA
- Also known as
- Lew Alcindor · Lewis Alcindor · Lewis Ferdinand Alcindor · Kareem Abdul-Jabaar · كريم عبدالجبار · Fredrick Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr.
Biography
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.
Known For
TV Shows (60)
The Simpsons
1989
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (voice)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self
The Daily Show
1996
as Self
Late Show with David Letterman
1993
as Self
Mannix
1967
The Colbert Report
2005
as Self / Self (uncredited)
Dancing with the Stars
2005
as Self - Contestant
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
The Big Bang Theory
2007
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Good Mythical Morning
2012
as Self
Scrubs
2001
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Billions
2016
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
New Girl
2011
as Himself
Full House
1987
Fresh Off the Boat
2015
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
21 Jump Street
1987
as Wesley Williams
Everybody Loves Raymond
1996
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Emergency!
1972
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
as Self
Tales from the Darkside
1984
as The Djinn, Jan Bin Jan
Martin
1992
as Dr. Skyhook
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The Oscars
1953
as Self
Celebrity Family Feud
2015
as Self
Saved by the Bell: The New Class
1993
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
To Tell the Truth
2016
as Self - Panelist
The Celebrity Apprentice
2004
The Bachelorette
2003
as Self
DAVE
2020
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Basketball: A Love Story
2018
as Self (archive footage)
Night Court
2023
Amen
1986
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
2009
as Self
The Stand
1994
as Monster Shouter
The Critic
1994
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (voice)
The Arsenio Hall Show
2013
as Self
StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson
2015
as Self
The Crazy Ones
2013
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Man from Atlantis
1977
as Thark
Beat Shazam
2017
as Self
Boston Common
1996
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Stingray
1985
The Jim Jefferies Show
2017
as Self
Dear...
2020
as Self
Guys with Kids
2012
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Bill Russell: Legend
2023
as Self - Basketball Hall of Fame
Good Sports
1991
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Shut Up and Dribble
2018
as Self (archive footage)
Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers
2022
as Self
They Call Me Magic
2022
as Self
O.J.: Made in America
2016
as Self (archive footage)
Matrix
1993
Muhammad Ali
2021
as Self
Diff'rent Strokes
1978
as Mr. Wilkes
Identity
2006
Bustin' Loose
1987
The Luckiest Guy in the World
2023
as Self
Los Anillos de Pau
2024
Movies (57)
Game of Death
1978
as Hakim
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
2022
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Airplane!
1980
as Roger Murdock
Jerry West: The Logo
2026
as Self
John Candy: I Like Me
2025
as Self (archive footage)
Fletch
1985
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
D2: The Mighty Ducks
1994
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
BASEketball
1998
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
2009
as Self
Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey
2000
as Self
Forget Paris
1995
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Troop Beverly Hills
1989
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault
1996
as Self
The Visitor
1979
as Basketball player (uncredited)
The Final Game of Death
2023
as Mantis
O.J.: Made in America
2016
as Self (archive footage)
The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear
2010
as Self
Slam Dunk Ernest
1995
as Archangel
The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
1979
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The Black List: Volume One
2008
as Self
Saving OurSelves: BET COVID-19 Relief Effort
2020
as Self - Co-Host
Stand
2023
as Self (archive footage)
The Curse of the Dragon
1993
as Self
The Unbeatable Bruce Lee
2001
A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks
2021
as Self
Bruce Lee in G.O.D.
2000
as Himself / Hakim
A Night to Die For
1995
as Self
Be Water
2020
as Self - Student / Friend
Kobe Bryant's Muse
2015
as Self (archive footage)
Weapons
2007
as P.J.
Hoodwinked
1989
as Man at Sal's House
The Journey of the African-American Athlete
1996
as Self
On the Shoulders of Giants
2011
as Self - Narrator
Detroit Pistons: 1988-1989 NBA Champions - Motor City Madness
1989
as Self - Los Angeles Lakers
The Game of Death
1974
as Hakim / Mantis
John Bronco
2020
as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem: Minority of One
2015
as Self
Whitepaddy
2006
as Hank
Ask Max
1986
as Himself
All New Dazzling Dunks and Basketball Bloopers
1990
as Self (archive footage)
Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon
1994
as Self
I Tried
2007
as Sin
Los Angeles Lakers: '87 The Drive For Five
1987
as Himself
Game of Death Redux
2019
as Mantis
Los Angeles Lakers: 1984-1985 NBA Champions Return To Glory
2007
as Himself
All-Star Rock 'N' Wrestling Saturday Spectacular
1985
as Self
1968
2018
as Self
The GREATEST : Bruce Lee
1998
as Comentador
Kobe Doin' Work
2009
as Self
Fight the Power: The Movements That Changed America
2021
as Self
The Iceman
2023
as Self
Bully Smart for Kids
1995
as Self
Philadelphia 76ers 1983 - That Championship Feeling
1991
as Self
Reflections on 'the Little Dragon'
2001
Black Patriots: Heroes of the Civil War
2022
as Self - Narrator (voice)
Undefeated: The Roger Brown Story
2013
as Himself
Black Patriots: Heroes of the Revolution
2020
as Self - Narrator (voice)
About 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… With 117 credits spanning from 1953 to 2026, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has appeared in 57 films and 60 TV shows.
Fans searching for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar movies, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar filmography, or the latest projects starring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Movies
- Game of Death (1978) — as Hakim
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) — as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Airplane! (1980) — as Roger Murdock
- Jerry West: The Logo (2026) — as Self
- John Candy: I Like Me (2025) — as Self (archive footage)
Where to Watch Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Films
Most Kareem Abdul-Jabbar movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, check our movies catalogue and browse page.