NBA Legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Announces Off-Court Move

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated Nov 26, 2025 7:11 AM ET

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar may be long retired from the NBA, but he continues to garner interest thanks to his basketball legacy and his work off the court.

Abdul-Jabbar played for 20 seasons in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, during which he recorded career averages of 24.6 points and 11.2 rebounds. He was a six-time NBA champion, winning once with Milwaukee and five with LA.

The NBA legend is also a six-time MVP and 19-time All-Star, as he established himself as one of the most dominant players in the history of the game. He held the scoring record (38,387 points) for years following his retirement 1989, before LeBron James surpassed his tally in 2023.

Off the court, Abdul-Jabbar is a civil rights and political activist who uses his platform to inspire change. He's an adult and children's book author and public speaker, who often talks about topics in race and equality.

NBA Hall of Famer and UCLA Bruin alumni Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and NBA Hall of Famer and Michigan State Spartans alumni Magic Johnson share a moment.© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Abdul-Jabbar is also a philanthropist, who has supported children education and social justice. In fact, the mission of his "The Skyhook Foundation" is to "Give Kids a Shot that Can’t be Blocked" by promoting "educational STEAM opportunities to underserved communities."

On Tuesday, Abdul-Jabbar also revealed the latest initiative of his foundation. According to the 78-year-old icon, he visited the UCLA Community School to give away new shoes and backpacks.

"Going back to UCLA school reminded me where my own journey began. On Monday, I visited the UCLA Community School, partnered with Adidas, to give students brand new shoes and backpacks," Abdul-Jabbar shared. "Seeing their excitement reminded me of being a young Bruin myself, full of curiosity."

He added, "This partnership is about giving kids the opportunity to soar above the four walls of their classroom. It's about inspiring the next generation of leaders to never stop exploring."

New shoes. New confidence. New possibilities.
HUGE thank you to @adidas, @UCLACommSchool, and @UCLA_Alumni for making this day special!
Let’s keep giving these kids a shot that CAN’T be blocked! pic.twitter.com/3xa2nBBWeV
— Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (@kaj33) November 26, 2025

Towards the end of the video, Abdul-Jabbar also encouraged his followers to join him in his cause, emphasizing his desire to "give these kids a shot that can't be blocked."

"If you want to support this mission, you can donate at skyhookfoundation.org. Every donation counts," Abdul-Jabbar shared.

While Abdul-Jabbar is no longer playing, he's using his popularity and platform to keep making an impact beyond the basketball court.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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