Kareem has five children, only three of whom he had with Habiba.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. in New York City on April 16, 1947, is celebrated as one of basketball’s greatest players.
Beyond his athletic achievements, his personal life, particularly his relationship with his ex-wife, Habiba Abdul-Jabbar, remains central to his story.
Kareem was born to Catholic parents and was raised religiously.
However, during his time at UCLA, he began exploring Islam, influenced by the writings of Malcolm X and the teachings of Hammas Abdul-Khaalis, the leader of the Hanafi Movement.
In 1971, at the age of 24, he converted to Islam and adopted the name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, which translates to “noble servant of the powerful.”
During his senior year at UCLA, Kareem met Janice Brown at a Lakers game.
They immediately connected and started dating soon after.
Influenced by Kareem and his dedication to Islam, Janice also converted and adopted the name Habiba Abdul-Jabbar.
Kareem and Habiba married on May 28, 1971.
Their marriage was blessed with three children: two daughters and a son.
They had their first child, daughter Habiba Alcindor, on May 15, 1972.
Today, she is a writer, producer, dramatist, director, and social justice activist.
She has contributed to media outlets like the Huffington Post and The Nation.
Their second child was a son named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jr., born on August 23, 1976.
Kareem Jr. followed in his father’s footsteps by playing college basketball at Valparaiso University and Western Kentucky University.
He later pursued acting, appearing on shows like “Nick Cannon Presents: Short Circuitz” and “Half & Half.“
Sultana Abdul-Jabbar, their second daughter, was born in 1979, a year after her parents’ divorce was finalized.
Sultana has kept a low profile but has made rare appearances to support her father’s basketball career.
Despite their shared faith and family, the marriage faced challenges.
The cracks in their marriage had started forming on the day of their wedding since Habiba’s parents were not allowed into the mosque due to their Catholic faith.
They separated in 1973 and finalized their divorce in 1978.
Following their divorce, Kareem and Habiba maintained a cordial relationship to co-parent their children.
Habiba chose a life away from the public eye, focusing on raising their children and personal pursuits.
In the 1980s, Kareem started dating Cheryl Pistono, with whom he had his fourth child and second son, Amir Abdul-Jabbar.
Amir has pursued a career in medicine and is an orthopedic surgeon.
In 1991, Kareem had another son, Adam Abdul-Jabbar, with his then-girlfriend Julye Olds.
Adam faced legal trouble in 2020 when, during an argument over trash cans, he stabbed his 60-year-old neighbor multiple times with a hunting knife, causing severe injuries, including a fractured skull.
After his divorce from Habiba, Kareem continued his illustrious basketball career, becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
His commitment to Islam remained steadfast, influencing his perspectives and public engagements.
He has been an advocate for social justice, often drawing from his faith to inform his viewpoints.
Kareem Sr. has maintained a good relationship with all his children, occasionally appearing at public events together.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Kareem won the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award six times during his career (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, and 1980), making him the player with the most MVP awards in NBA history.
- In 2012, he was appointed as a U.S. global cultural ambassador by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In this role, he has worked to promote education, cultural understanding, and social justice.
