In an unexpected turn of events, NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, has reportedly been 'benched' by a broken hip after a tumble at a concert in sunny Los Angeles. In the grand amphitheater of life, injuries like these are certainly the uninvited guests that attend our often-unpredictable show.
The NBA veteran seized the day Sunday, undergoing surgery without a hitch, assured his business partner and spokesperson, Deborah Morales. Despite the hiccup, Morales confirmed a three-month period of rehabilitation lay ahead for the star. Abdul-Jabbar's fortitude through the years gives us confidence that it will be a slam dunk.
It was just another Friday night set to the rhythm of Southern California's vibrant music scene that saw Abdul-Jabbar facing the injury. As swift as a smooth layup, paramedics at the scene responded to the situation, escorting the 76-year-old legend to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center with the utmost care.
That night was a far cry from the bright, roaring lights of the Lakers' Showtime arc in the 1980s, where Abdul-Jabbar masterfully orchestrated five gripping NBA Championships with a team that oozed talent. His old teammate and fellow Laker legend, Magic Johnson, sharing well-wishes, reminds us fervently of that golden era, praying for 'the Captain's' speedy recovery.
All of 7-foot-2 Abdul-Jabbar occupied the sanctum of the NBA's record books as the career scoring leader for nearly four decades, only yielding to LeBron James in February.
A fresh graph on his career began as Giannis Antetokounmpo marked a personal win on Sunday, quietly edging past Abdul-Jabbar as the Milwaukee Bucks' career rebounding leader. Abdul-Jabbar's tenure with the Bucks, which included bagging six NBA MVP awards, has unquestionably been an illustrious one.
Way back when he owned the court at UCLA as Lew Alcindor, Abdul-Jabbar won the national player of the year thrice under the legendary coach John Wooden. His scholarship both on the court and in life has been pivotal in crafting his legacy, one that has remained tall through the diagnosis of prostate cancer in 2020 and chronic myeloid leukemia in 2009.
As the basketball community rallies around this giant of the game, we are soundly reminded of the feats and resilience that have defined Abdul-Jabbar's iconic career.
