
The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award
The world may never again see an athlete dominate basketball for as long and as thoroughly as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. From the time he stepped on the court as Lewis Alcindor at Power Memorial High School in his native New York City, to the years he owned college basketball at UCLA to the time he retired as the NBA's all-time leader in nine statistical categories including the most points in NBA history, the 7-foot-2 superstar established himself as one of basketball's most talented and recognizable figures. Abdul-Jabbar's trademark skyhook was so precise and unstoppable it left defenders helpless. While one of Abdul-Jabbar's signature maneuvers, it is now widely considered basketball's most classic and lethal offensive move. Abdul-Jabbar brought finesse and agility to the center position, two traits he substituted for brute force and strength. He was the kind of player who graces a sport once in a lifetime.
PLAYER NAME | SCHOOL | |
---|---|---|
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Derik Queen
|
Maryland
|
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Maxime Raynaud
|
Stanford
|
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Nate Bittle
|
Oregon
|
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Ryan Kalkbrenner
|
Creighton
|
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Vladislav Goldin
|
Michigan
|
College
- UCLA (1966-69)
College Playing Highlights
- Three NCAA Championships with UCLA, 1967-69
- National College Player of the Year, 1967, 1969
- 1st Team All-America, 1967-69
- NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, 1967-69
Pro
- Milwaulkee Bucks (1969-75)
- Las Angeles Lakers (1975-89)
Pro Playing Highlights
- NBA Championship with Milwaukee Bucks, 1971
- NBA Championship with Los Angeles Lakers, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987-88
- NBA MVP, 1971-72, 1974, 1976-77, 1980
- All-NBA First Team, 1971-74, 1976-77, 1980
- All-Defensive First Team, 1974-75, 1979-81
- Rookie of the Year, 1970
- 19 Time All-Star
- One of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History
Past Winners
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award - Center
Year | Player Name | School |
---|---|---|
2025 | Ryan Kalkbrenner | Creighton |
2024 | Zach Edey | Purdue |
2023 | Zach Edey | Purdue |
2022 | Oscar Tshiebwe | Kentucky |
2021 | Luka Garza | University of Iowa |
2020 | Luka Garza | University of Iowa |
2019 | Ethan Happ | University of Wisconsin |
2018 | Angel Delgado | Seton Hall University |
2017 | Przemek Karnowski | Gonzaga University |
2016 | Jakob Poeltl | University of Utah |
2015 | Frank Kaminsky | University of Wisconsin |