What is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Net Worth?
| Net Worth: | $22 million |
|---|---|
| Source of Wealth: | Basketball Player and Coach |
| Date of Birth: | April 16th, 1947 |
| Country of Origin: | United States |
| Last Updated: | 2024 |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Net Worth: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a former American professional basketball player and coach with an estimated net worth of $22 million.
He started playing right in middle school and he retired from basketball in 1989 after playing for the Lakers.
He has a line-up of achievements and awards from his career as a basketball player. He is a 6-time NBA champion as a player and a two-time NBA champion as an assistant coach. He has numerous other awards to his name.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s net worth is a summation of his salary, endorsement deals, and other personal investments.
Early Life
Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, popularly known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, was born in New York City on the 16th of April 1947. Kareem started to play basketball right in middle school.
He was exceptionally good at the sport that, at the age of 12, he could dunk. His height (6’8) in 8th grade was an added advantage to his basketball skills. For his high school education, he attended Power Memorial Academy.
He played in his high school basketball team and won the New York Championships together with his teammates. His basketball skills earned him the nickname the tower from power as he was popular for the records he broke and the victories he brought to his high school team.
Career
Kareem’s career began in high school when he became a part of the basketball team. He was popular for his height, swift and smooth moves, and legendary dunk moves.
He started out by playing in the UCLA freshman team before switching to varsity basketball. During his time with his team, only two losses were recorded during their three-year run.
In 1968, he converted to Islam and changed his name from Ferdinand Lewis to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He played alongside his team in the same year in a match between UCLA Bruins and Houston Cougars.
This match was tagged; The Game of the Century because it was the first time a college basketball was broadcast on national TV stations. Although Kareem’s team lost this match, they later beat the Houston Cougars in the NCAA Tournament.
In 1969, Kareem was signed into Milwaukee Bucks for $1.4 million. This was the beginning of his journey in the NBA. During his early days in the NBA, he placed second in the eastern division, became the second-highest scorer in the league, and finally, the top scorer. In 1971, he won his first NBA championship and transferred to the Lakers in 1974.
Kareem soared higher at the Lakers and played alongside Magic Johnson after Johnson was signed into the team in 1979. With Kareem and Johnson on the team, the sky was only their starting point and the world, their oyster. They went on to win five championships.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar net worth is estimated to be $22 million as of 2024.
Career Highlights
- 1975 – Transfer to the Lakers
- 1978 – Bruce Lee’s Game of Death (Movie)
- 1980 – Airplane! (Movie)
- 1989 – Retirement
Personal Life
Kareem was born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. to Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr., who was a transit police officer and a jazz musician, and Cora Lillian, who worked in a departmental store. At 21, he became a Sunni Islam convert.
He was married once to Habiba Abdul-Jabbar in 1971. The couple was blessed with four children—Habiba, Sultana, Amir, and Kareem Jr. They divorced in 1978.
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Awards & Achievements
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a legendary former professional basketball player. Although retired, he has a line-up of achievements that he achieved by reaching milestone after milestone. Kareem was a six-time NBA champion in 1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988. In 1971 and 1985, he received the title of the NBA Finals MVP. He held the title of NBA Most Valuable Player in 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, and 1980.
Throughout his career as a basketball player, Kareem was an NBA All-Star 19 times, from 1970 to 1977 and 1979 to 1989. His team received the title of the; All-NBA First Team a total of 10 times—from 1971 to 1974, 1976 to 1977, 1980 to 1981, and 1984 to 1986; All-NBA Second Team a total of 5 times—from 1970, 1978 to 1979, 1983, and 1985; NBA All-Defensive First Team a total of 5 times—from 1974 to 1975, and 1979–1981; NBA All-Defensive Second Team a total of 6 times—from 1970 to 1971, 1976–1978, and 1984); NBA Rookie of the Year and NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1970; and NBA anniversary teams—35th, 50th, and 75th anniversaries; Consensus first-team All-American—from 1967 to 1969; First-team Parade All-American from 1963 to 1965.
The rest of his achievements are; being an NBA scoring champion in 1971 and ’72; NBA rebounding champion in 1976, NBA blocks leader a total of 4 times—from 1975 to 1976, and 1979 to 1980; NCAA champion a total of 3 times—from 1967 to 1969; NCAA final four most outstanding player—from 1967 to 1969; National college player of the year—from 1967 to 1969; Mr. Basketball USA in 1964 and 1965; Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.
He also served as a coach and was a USBL champion in 2002 and an NBA champion in 2009 and 2010 as an assistant coach.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Net Worth
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar net worth is estimated to be $22 million. Before his retirement, he was the highest-paid basketball player at the Lakers, earning a salary of $3 million (approximately $5.8 million today).
Kareem’s net worth is attributed to his earnings from his career and endorsement deals.
Real Estate
Kareem owned a luxury home that he had lived in for years. This home was built in 1986 and was located on a 3-acre land on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The home had floor-to-ceiling windows, three bedrooms, open-beam ceilings, lava rock fireplaces, hardwood floors, a pavilion, a 50ft long custom-built pool with a waterfall, a carriage house, and a private pathway that led to Secret Beach.
This home was a perfect home and was just a few walks away from the National Wildlife Refuge. It had beautiful scenery and was home to wildlife. It was also built to fit Kareem’s 7’2 height.
In 2013, Kareem put the mansion up for sale at the sum of $5.9 million. It was later purchased in 2015 by Will and Jada Pinkett Smith for $4.8 million. The couple converted this property to an estate of 7 acres and sold it off for $12 million in 2017.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar net worth is estimated to be about $22 million, this is inclusive of his wealth in real estate
Notable Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Quotes
Life Lessons to Learn From Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Success
Here are some notable lessons to learn from Kareem’s life;
1. Stay Dedicated
Kareem was dedicated to his basketball career. He continued to reach milestones by taking long strides toward his goals. Dedication to your goals will take you far, no matter the obstacles you may face.
2. Live an Impactful Life
After his retirement, he served as a coach and assistant coach for basketball teams in order to train and help young players build their careers. His services must have impacted the lives of some basketball players today.
3. Live an Uncontroversial Life
There are no major controversies tied to Kareem’s life. He seems to live a careful and positive life. You can also learn from the way he lives his life, free of controversies.
Frequently Asked Questions – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Net Worth
How Much was Kareem’s Salary?
Kareem earned a salary of $3 million during his time with the Lakers.
Was Kareem in a Financial Crisis?
Kareem’s business manager, Tom Collins, mismanaged his finances. This caused Kareem some losses, and in return, he filed a $59 million lawsuit.
How Nice is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?
Kareem was an articulate, smart, and swift player, but he was also antisocial. He was mostly shy.
What Were Kareem’s Thoughts on Winning Time?
Kareem aired his criticisms about Winning Time, explaining how the characters lacked proper human representation. He compared them to the resemblance of Lego Han Solo to Harrison Ford.
What Was the Highest Kareem Could Jump?
Kareem’s jump was as high as 10 to 11 feet above the ground. This is beyond impressive for a human. He shared this information with Neil de Grasse Tyson, an astrophysicist, in an interview.
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Final Thoughts
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired professional basketball player. He retired in 1989 and, since his retirement, has worked with the Los Angeles Clippers and Seattle Supersonics as an assistant coach and the New York Knicks as a scout. He also worked with the Lakers for six seasons as a special assistant coach for Phil Jackson from 2005 to 2011.
As of 2024, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar net worth is estimated to be $22 million.