Most of us know Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as one of the greatest players to ever carry a basketball. It is also common knowledge that he dominated the NBA in the 70s and the early 80s; winning six NBA championships and setting several records, some of which stand till this very7 day. However, what about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s family? Does he have a wife? Who are his children, and what are they up to? All these and more questions are answered below.
All We Know About Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Family
Wife
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been married just once in his lifetime. The basketball legend tied the knot with Habiba Abdul-Jabbar (birth name – Janice Brown) in 1971. Abdul-Jabbar first met Brown while he was a senior at UCLA. They got talking and eventually commenced a relationship. By the time the basketballer converted to Islam in 1971, Brown also voluntarily converted and changed her name to Habiba. The couple were later wed in an Islamic ceremony held on the 28th of May 1971. The groom’s parents were not invited to the nuptials, and this was reportedly due to the fact that they were not Muslims.
Abdul-Jabbar and Habiba were married for seven years during which they welcomed three children; daughters Habiba and Sultana, and a son named Abdul-Jabbar Jr. The couple officially divorced in 1978. Prior to his official divorce from Habiba, Abdul-Jabbar commenced a romance with a lady named Cheryl Piston, a native of California. Abdul-Jabbar and Piston were together from 1977 till 1984. They did not get married but welcomed a son named Amir in the course of their relationship. Abdul-Jabbar also fathered a fifth child named Adam Abdul-Jabbar. Not much is known about Adam’s mother except that she is a native of San Antonio, Texas.
Children
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s family comprises of his five children; daughters Sultana and Habiba, and sons, Abdul-Jabbar Jr., Amir, and Adam. The basketball legend is a good parent as he never foisted his aspirations on his children. He did not compel them to partake in any particular sporting activity. His only requirement was that they take martial arts. This was to enable the girls to learn self-defense, and the boys learn self-discipline. Abdul-Jabbar’s kids are all grown up now. They maintain a low profile and are not keen on exploiting their father’s fame. They are rather focused on pursuing their various areas of interest.
For instance, Abdul-Jabbar’s eldest son, Abdul-Jabbar Jr. is a professional basketballer, he grew up playing baseball and soccer but decided to focus on basketball in high school. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jr. attended Brentwood School L.A. and averaged 17.7 points and nine rebounds during his time there. The young man, however, realized that he could never match the strides that his father had reached. Abdul-Jabbar Jr., therefore, decided to play basketball for the love of the game. He played college basketball at several schools including Valparaiso, Santa Monica College, and Western Kentucky University. He has also played professional basketball in leagues such as International Basketball Association (IBA), International Basketball League (IBL) and United States Basketball League (USBL).
Another high-flying member of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s family is daughter, Habiba Alcindor. Habiba is an accomplished writer, screenplay author, producer, and social justice advocate. She is part of a coalition that works to increase the access of ordinary folks to pricey football games. Habiba is also the creator of a dramatic series known as Gold Rush which chronicles the rise of Kendrick Chandler, son of legendary Lakers player, Sharif Chandler. When Kendrick is drafted to his father’s team, many expect that he would continue in his father’s footsteps. They, however, do not know that father and son never had much of a relationship. Kendrick has to rely on his sister, LaTisha, to investigate their father’s past in order to heal the family
Another accomplished member of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s family is his second son, Amir Abdul-Jabbar who is an orthopedic surgeon based in Seattle, Washington. He obtained his medical degree from the University of California San Francisco, School of Medicine. He was of great assistance to his father when the basketball legend battled cancer. There is not much details on what Abdul-Jabbar’s remaining two children, Sultana and Adam, are up to. Adam, however, appeared with his dad, and brother – Amir, on an episode of Celebrity Family Jeopardy in 2017.
