Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

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Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr. also known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar left his mark in the National Basketball Association as not just a legend, but an inspiration. Kareem has shattered all records, proved wrong his doubters and made a pathway for all races and religions to success. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar lived most of his life being slammed down by racial discrimination and bullying. Taking after his hero, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem figured out a safe place from the brutality he was facing, which was the basketball court. After returning back from an all-black boarding school to his home in St.Jude. Kareem was chosen to be on the fifth grade basketball team by Coach Hopkins, who Kareem said was the first person who made him realize what his towering height could do to him as an advantage. ("Kareem Abdul-Jabbar DISCovering")

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Kareem continued his dominant basketball career as he stood six feet tall in fifth grade becoming an extensive problem for every team. Kareem had finally found his safety, and that was basketball. Ending his high school era, he had a handful of colleges to choose from all with full ride scholarships, while other players barely received a walk in offer. After dominating the court all the way into the NBA, Kareem decided to retire after bringing the Lakers to 5 championships and leading the whole league in scoring. After he retired, he pursued in many careers including becoming, an author, a coach, a scout, an actor and a singer/songwriter. During his retirement, he was shocked on the amount of racial discrimination still going on, so Kareem decided to take a stand. He started writing his heart out on the way he felt about racism, and after a while, his books started to influence others and he started a movement for rights for the colored.

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is an inspiration and a legend on and off the court because he didn't let criticism stop or distract him in his journey to success. During Kareem's life and career, he experienced many shapes and forms of criticism coming from his coaches, classmates, and fans. One of Kareem's most important coaches, Coach Hopkins, used criticism to make Kareem better. "In one instance, Abdul-Jabbar resented Coach Donohue's use of the word "n*gger" to goad him into performing his best. It took a lot of time and willpower for Abdul-Jabbar to put aside his hurt and questions about the coach's true feelings about him." ("Kareem Abdul Jabbar Notable") His own coach used racial slurs against Kareem, and instead of feeling bad and down, he used the criticism as an inspiration to make him achieve greater things through the push of proving people wrong.  This showed everyone that no matter how much criticism and discrimination you are put under, you should work your way through it and concentrate on your own success. Kareem received a great deal of criticism through his career including his decisions, his religious choices, and his skin color. Kareem picked UCLA to be his college to pursue his career in because he would be taught by a legendary coach, John Wooden. Before Abdul-Jabbar had the chance to step onto a game of college basketball, people were already starting to criticize him about this decision, saying that he didn't belong there. After his first season at UCLA, he turned all the criticism he received into a strive for greatness where he controlled the court leading UCLA to two national championships and finishing with the ninth most all-time points in college basketball in only 88 games. ("Kareem Abdul-Jabbar DISCovering") After Kareem joined the NBA, he felt the need to control his personal life, so he started studying Arabic and converted to Islam. When the media heard about this decision, the rumors started spreading and criticism started pouring over Kareem like he has never seen before. Kareem didn't mind the insults and criticism and instead used it to bring the Milwaukee Bucks into another championship. After years of studying under his master, Abdul-Khaalis, Kareem decided that he could use his new beliefs to fight for rights of all religions and pave everyone a way to success. Most of Kareems decisions in life were criticised, but he decided to take that criticism and build on with it making him a better person and a better player. ("Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Notable") Kareem was an inspiration to everybody because he showed people that criticism can help people become better if you use it as determination. Kareem also showed that criticism can be ignored, so that people can focus on their own goals and not what others think about them or their decisions.

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a hero because he let nothing stop him in his way to success and he carved a pathway for all people, no matter the religion or race to have a chance of becoming something great. Kareem has experienced many obstacles in his rough journey to the National Basketball Association including racism, being diagnosed with leukemia and the nonstop media attention and rumors. Kareem was offered many chances to go into deeper fame and start becoming an even more known celebrity. "Jabbar spurned a one-million dollar offer to sign with the Harlem Globetrotters after the 1967 season. In spite of the fact that he was a sensitive individual and somewhat of a loner, Jabbar was also extremely mature for his age and able to cope with constant media attention." ("Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Encyclopedia") Kareem rejected this offer so that he could concentrate on his personal goal of becoming the greatest basketball player in history. Kareem was faced with a lot of racism coming from his classmates, teammates and fans, he found this very disturbing at first but then learned that it shaped him to the man he is today. ""Right then and there I knew who I was and who I had to be," he wrote in Kareem. "I was going to be black rage personified, black power in the flesh."" ("Kareem Abdul-Jabbar DISCovering")  Kareem didn't let racism stand in his way, he took it as a goal to keep fighting toward his achievements. He worked very hard to get to his goal just so he could make the world easier and more equal for people with color.  Kareem has also faced many obstacles not regarding his social life, including being diagnosed with cancer. Kareem fought through the disease like he fights through everything else and showed people that you should let nothing stop you. "In November 2009 Abdul-Jabbar was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia, but his long-term prognosis looked favorable. In February 2011, doctors declared the retired NBA star cancer free." ("Kareem Abdul-Jabbar UXL Biographies") Once again, Kareem managed to overcome another big obstacle in his life, this time concerning his health. Abdul-Jabbar uses his past problems in life to inspire others to overcome their difficulties and to keep fighting.

In conclusion, Kareem is a hero because he worked through criticism and showed people how to use it as an advantage. He also let no obstacle stand in his way of success and he shaped the way for people of all kind and religion to achieve in any career. Kareem is an inspiration to us all, he helped people find equality, he showed us that nothing can stop you from reaching your goals and for me, Kareem has inspired me to fight for what is right. Kareem has been fighting for equality ever since he knew what racism was and he even skipped participating in the Olympics to protest for rights. Kareem showed me that I have to fight for what is right and to always remember what's important in life. Kareem was not just a legend on the court, but he was a role model. The definition of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is " Noble servant of the powerful One", and the definition of a hero is someone that you can look up to. After Kareem's stunning career on and off the court, he is the definition of a hero.

Works Cited

"Kareem Abdul-Jabbar." ‹DISCovering Multicultural America: ‹African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian  

Americans, Native Americans, Gale, 2003. ​Student Resources in Context,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ2116104295/SUIC?u=powa9245&xid=34f2aa07.

Accessed 24 Jan. 2017.

"Kareem Abdul Jabbar." ‹Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale, 1998. ‹Biography in Context,  

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1631003299/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=d97b274c.

Accessed 24 Jan. 2017.

"Kareem Abdul-Jabbar." ‹Notable Black American Men, Book II, edited by Jessie Carney Smith,  

Gale, 1998. ‹Biography in Context,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1622000002/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=9d1b7b0b.

Accessed 24 Jan. 2017.

"Kareem Abdul-Jabbar." ‹UXL Biographies, UXL, 2011. ‹Student Resources in Context,  

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ2108100006/SUIC?u=powa9245&xid=52e78e8f.

Accessed 24 Jan. 2017.