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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.

2026
Preseason Top 20
Watch List
PLAYER NAME SCHOOL
Malique Ewin
Arkansas
Moustapha Thiam
Cincinnati
Owen Freeman
Creighton
Patrick Ngongba
Duke
Alex Condon
Florida
Chris Cenac Jr.
Houston
Tomislav Ivišić
Illinois
Flory Bidunga
Kansas
Jayden Quaintance
Kentucky
Ernest Udeh Jr.
Miami
Aday Mara
Michigan
Rienk Mast
Nebraska
Henri Veesaar
North Carolina
Nate Bittle
Oregon
Oscar Cluff
Purdue
Robbie Avila
Saint Louis
Magoon Gwath
San Diego State
Zuby Ejiofor
St. John's
Felix Okpara
Tennessee
Tarris Reed, Jr.
UConn

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