#该系列文章涉及的球员排名是由The Athletic Media, there are discrepancies with the NBA and ESPN rankings.
Author | Jason Lloyd
Translate | Clarkson
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In the morning after playing his worst performance, Abdul-Jabbar was a player who arrived in the team's video analysis room.
He sat in the middle of the first row, and closest to the TV screen.
Abdul-Jabbar sat in the first row, and as a seven-foot-two-inch giant, he blocked the view of everyone behind him.
Usually in video analysis sessions, the first row of seats is empty, but Abdul-Jabbar sits there, ready to witness his social death.
Then Lakers coach Pat Riley scrawled down three game points on the blackboard: rebounding, stopping Larry Bird, and not packing too early.
After saying this, Riley's eyes were fixed on Jabbar.
"I'll never forget what happened that day, he didn't speak, but I know what he was thinking and Abdul-Jabbar didn't want me to have reservations about him." Riley recalled, "He knew what kind of person I was, and he knew I was going to get grumpy when I watched the video. After all, the entire video conference reviewed his bad performance, which is not good. But he took it, and he showed great leadership, and then we stepped onto the training ground. ”
In the first game of the 1985 NBA Finals, when the Lakers lost to the Celtics by 114:148, Abdul-Jabbar was 38 years old, and his wonderful NBA career was nearing the end.
In that game, everyone in the Lakers performed poorly, but Abdul-Jabbar was undoubtedly the worst.
He only had 12 points and three rebounds, and Riley believed the legendary center didn't give his all that night.
Abdul-Jabbar agrees with him.
After the game, journalists across the country began writing obituary for Abbreviations for Abet Absolve Abbey's career, saying he was too old and too slow to keep up with the young Robert Parrish and Kevin Mike Hale.
In that video conference, Abdul-Jabbar bore all of Riley's accusations.
Then, with the help of his father, Abdul-Jabbar began to prepare to tell the world why he was the greatest player of his generation.
(Vernon Biever / NBAE via Getty Images)
For 38 years, Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar has been the NBA's top scorer.
The staggering total scoring record of 38,387 points has been unbreakable for decades.
His unstoppable spectacle, combined with a talent to stay healthy for 20 consecutive seasons, has allowed him to create numbers rarely seen in basketball.
Abdul-Jabbar has the most MVP trophies in NBA history (6) and the number of Star Game picks (19).
Like Jordan, Abdul-Jabbar has six championship rings.
He has won two FMVPs, and he has scored more than anyone else overall.
However, he is only third in The Athletic Magazine's list of the 75 greatest stars in NBA history.
What's going on?
"As basketball games continue to evolve, more and more things will be forgotten by us. Including the great players of the previous era, even the greatest legendary players. Riley said, "Because there are always new players coming up. ”
The difficulty of ranking in any form lies in comparing players of different eras, as they play under very different rules.
For example, in the first decade of Abdul-Jabbar's career, the NBA didn't even have a three-point line.
While Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar is not an outside marksman (he has only made one three-pointer in his career), Abdul-Jabbar's 38,000 points on 1 and 2-pointers is even more remarkable.
Abdul-Jabbar attended UCLA for four years, which is a departure from the rules by which freshmen in the league can now draft.
James, who came closest to Abdul-Jabbar's scoring record, went straight to the NBA after graduating from high school in 2003 and didn't even go to college.
James scored more than 8,400 points between the ages of 19 and 22, and Abdul-Jabbar was even playing in the college league.
If Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar could also enter the NBA after graduating from high school, like James, or enter the NBA after his freshman year like current players, then Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar could even score more than 45,000 points.
"He was already in great shape in college, he was disciplined and very stable. He played for four years under John Wooden, the greatest coach he could ever come from, where he learned how to play smartly and scientifically. Abdul-Jabbar's Lakers teammate Vassi said of him, "And he also has a weapon, a nuclear weapon." ”
No player is more demanding than Abdul-Jabbar for hook-and-shoot shots.
Lakers star George McCann may be the first player in NBA history to skillfully use hook skills, and he can complete the hook with any one hand.
But Jabbar turned this technique into an art, jumping, shooting, flexible and elegant.
Unlike many players who now walk the streets with physical fitness or three-point ability, Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar is most prominent in his ability to accurately calculate in the low positions.
"When I'm in place, I'll force the opposing players to wait for me to jump," Abdul-Jabbar once told ESPN, "And if they wait until I shoot and decide to make a defensive move, they'll find that neither the distance nor the timing can interfere with the ball, which is why I'm keen to use hookers." When I use the hooker, I have absolute initiative in attack and defense, and I can decide when and where to complete the shot. ”
Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar added: "I don't remember having my hookers blocked by a defender, maybe some players have done it when they're assisting in defense, but as long as I can observe the position of the defenders in advance, then no one has a chance to block my hookers." Because I always protect the ball with my body before I shoot. ”
Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar faced Jazz legendary center Mark Eaton with an iconic sky-hook score against the Jazz's legendary center Mark Eaton on April 5, 1984, breaking Chamberlain's 18-year record and becoming the NBA's all-time scoring champion.
Now, Abdul-Jabbar has been the scoring champion for 36 years.
Even if James can stay fit and form for some time to come, it will take at least two seasons for him to have a chance to break Abdul-Jabbar's record.
If James is unable to break Abdul-Jabbar's record for some reason, it is almost certain that the record will never be broken.
Kevin Durant had sprinted in the scoring charts early in his career, but injuries have left him with too many opportunities to play.
Currently, the 33-year-old Durant is still 14,000 points away from breaking that record.
To break Abdul-Jabbar's scoring record, a player has to stay healthy for 20 years to have a chance.
Not only does this mean avoiding all chronic illnesses, knee and back injuries, but the player must also have the will and ability to play consistently.
As we all know, today's star players can make a lot of money on and off the pitch.
We can't help but ask how many people are willing to play for 20 years, suffer physical injuries and illnesses, and chase a record that takes half a lifetime to reach.
Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar is a rare player in the history of the NBA who combines his super physical fitness and excellent technical ability.
Regardless of the era, he is one of the most unique athletes.
Jabbar has always been a concerned person about social issues.
When famed boxer Muhammad Ali was stripped of his title or even threatened to jail for refusing to serve in the Vietnam War, famous football player Jim Brown summoned a number of prominent black athletes in June 1967 to form a group called the Cleveland Summit in solidarity with Ali.
Basketball players involved at the time included Celtic legend Bill Russell, as well as Abdul-Jabbar, who was still in college.
Subsequently, Abdul-Jabbar protested the injustices against black Americans by refusing to participate in the 1968 Olympics.
"I'm proud of Karim," Dr. Richard Lapchick, a lifelong friend of Abdhabal, said of Jabbar, "who has had the courage to stand up since the '60s." You know, in those days, not many people were willing to stand up and risk losing their careers to make a voice, but Abdul-Jabbar was willing to do so. ”
Richard Lapchick grew up in Youngks, New York, and because his father was a well-known local basketball star, he had grown to one meter eight by the eighth grade and entered the best training camp in the country at that time.
At one point, the camp coach brought in six new players, five of whom were white and only one of whom was black.
One of the white players had been abusing the black players, and Little Richard had heard enough to challenge the white players who were cursing.
Richard was quickly knocked out, and although he lost the game, he won a lifelong friend.
The black player's name was Ferdinand Lewis Alcindo Jr., who changed his name to Karim Abdul-Jabbar in 1971.
When the statue of Jabbar was unveiled at the Staples Center, Lapchik was invited to speak as a special guest.
In 2016, when Abdul-Jabbar was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former U.S. President Barack Obama, Lapchik was one of the only two non-kin guests Abdul-Jabbar invited.
The Milwaukee Bucks drafted Jabbar in the 1969 NBA Draft, and two years later, Abdul-Jabbar teamed up with "Big O" Oscar Robertson to bring Milwaukee its first championship in franchise history.
Before the Bucks won the 2021 championship, it was also the only championship trophy in the team's history.
Abdul-Abdul-Abdul-Abdul-Abdul-Jabals also led the team to the 1974 NBA Finals, but unfortunately they lost to the Boston Celtics in a tie-7.
Abdul-Jabbar grew up in New York and went to college in Los Angeles, but he wasn't entirely successful in Milwaukee.
After a bad season in 1975, Abdul-Jabbar filed a trade request, the Bucks made a deal with the Lakers, and Los Angeles won the superstar.
Jabbar is a quiet man and has a very personal personality, he always keeps his distance from the media.
Because of his father's love of music, Jabbar had a deep passion for jazz, and he was a historian who loved to read.
He never listened to loud music before the game, but read quietly in front of his locker.
"When I was at UCLA, Coach Wooden wouldn't let us talk to the media." Abdul-Jabbar recalled in 2017 as a special guest invited by the Muslim Student Council at the University of Washington's Milwaukee Distinguished Lecture Series, "He saw the media as a nuisance, and I brought that to the NBA, but that wasn't entirely true, and I paid for it." ”
While working in Milwaukee, Jabbar was described by the media as an "indifferent" person.
"A lot of people think I left Milwaukee with a hostile attitude," he said in a 2017 interview, "not really, I just want to get back in the sun." ”
Riley said Abdul-Jabbar simply wanted to "find peace and calm in his own space." ”
(Bud Symes / Allsport / Getty Images)
Lakers star James Worthy was selected by the Lakers in 1982 with 15 credits left college.
He was studying at the University of Southern California on the Missouri Compromise and Legislation.
When Abdul-Jabbar discovered Worthy's textbook, he began to recite the dates and events of the relevant legislation.
Worthy credits his B+ score in the class to the free tutoring that Abdul-Jabbar offers.
He also believes that Abdul-Jabbar made him a fan of jazz.
"It was hard to get Karim to speak," Worthy recalls, "but if you start talking about history or jazz, then Abdul-Jabbar gets involved." ”
Magic Johnson added: "He's the smartest, not just the player I've played with, but the smartest of all the people I know. ”
Abdul-Jabbar, who possessed a sleek wit and a remarkable sense of humor, once wore a pair of pants that were both ill-fitting and somewhat outdated, which had become the laughing stock of his teammates.
One day, Michael Cooper and Byron Scott secretly cut those pants.
Abdul-Jabbar was angry when he found out, but it took him a few weeks to start taking revenge.
Later, when Cooper fell asleep during a team flight, Abdul-Jabbar took a can of depilator and applied it to his head, and Cooper became a bald head ever since.
Later, the Lakers traveled to a chilly road game where Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar cut off the toes of all of Scott's socks.
"Most people don't provoke Karim," Said Vassi, "and you can do a little prank from time to time, but trust me dude, Abdul-Jabbar will come back to you for revenge." ”
After a gruesome video analysis session after losing game one of the 1985 NBA Finals, Riley scolded Karim for hours.
Riley has a unique relationship with Jabbar that dates back to high school, as Riley was only two years older than Jabbar.
During his freshman year at Abdul-Jabbar, he played a Christmas match with Riley's team in New York's Zoskenektady.
Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar first dunked in his eighth grade, and he had already attracted everyone's attention as a freshman.
But Riley defeated Abdul-Jabbar in this Christmas battle with the help of the referee.
Riley recalled that the referee that night was better off with his father.
The referee sent Abdul-Jabbar off in eight minutes, and Abdul-Jabbar's school was defeated by Riley's after losing him.
Riley later became a teammate with Abdul-Jabbar at the Lakers and later coached him.
There is a unique and close connection between them, which is part of the reason why Abdul-Jabbar is willing to accept Riley's scolding.
At the training ground, Riley can train Abdul-Jabbar without mercy. Even Magic Johnson thinks Riley has gone too far and should have given Abdul-Jabbar a break.
However, Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar disagrees with the magician, who is angry after learning about the magician's conversation with Riley.
"No!" He growled, "I want to do everything!" ”
After the first game, the Lakers had a three-day break to prepare for the second Finals.
In these three days, all the Lakers have to do is analyze Abdul-Jabbar's game.
The day before the second game, the Lakers didn't relax after two big-body exercises.
When the players lined up to get on the bus to the Garden Arena for the second match, Abdul-Jabbar was the last to get on the bus.
The legendary center, accompanied by his father, walked through the hotel lobby and out of the hotel door.
During the NBA Finals, the Lakers have a special rule for taking a bus, and only players can ride the bus.
But Abdul-Jabbar walked up to Riley and asked if his father could ride the bus to the race.
Riley sensed the eyes of the whole team staring at him, wondering what his reply would be.
"He needs his father's comfort," Riley said. So he agreed and let Abdal's father, Al, get in the car.
"It was completely quiet on the bus," the magician recalled, "and that was one of the lakers' strengths, and we knew when we were ready and didn't need anyone to say anything more." ”
Worthy added: "As we get older, there will still be something that needs to be taken from our parents and Abdul-Jabbar's father is his comfort. I remember that bus ride, and you could feel that the big guy was ready. So when Al was on the bus, I knew it was going to be a good night. ”
Abdul-Jabbar, 38, destroyed the Celtics in his second game.
He had 30 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists in the game.
After the game, when reporters approached Abdul-Jabbar in the dressing room, he said only one simple sentence: "Contrary to public opinion, karim Abdul Abdul Abdul's aging claims have been exaggerated." ”
Abdul-Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar helped the Lakers win that year's championship that year and was named the Finals MVP.
In their long and tortuous Finals history with Boston, the Lakers beat the Celtics in six games for the first time.
Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar won his third championship as a Lakers.
He then won two more titles before retiring in 1989.
During a recent guest podcast, Abdul-Jabbar told Cooper that the 1985 series was his most memorable.
Among Riley's countless stories about Abdul-Jabbar, he also chose the 1985 Finals as his favorite.
"There's a lot of stories about him," Riley said, "but it's the one that stands out the most, and it's one that I like the most." ”
Abdul-Jabbar's shy nature and quiet personality kept him from fully appreciating how beloved he was until an accidental fire took him everything.
In 1983, a fire burned down Jabbar's home, and his precious jazz collection was also burned down in the accident.
What Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar himself did not expect was that after the fire, fans and admirers began to help him rebuild his jazz collection, and they even sent his own collection of records to Abdul-Jabbar.
When Abdul-Jabbar announced that he was battling leukemia, public support touched him again.
"Karim, as he entered old age, began to see how beloved he was." Lapchik said, "I think especially now, people appreciate his wisdom. He's the number one scorer in NBA history, and I think Karim now has more fans than he used to have. It's not just basketball, but At a time when America is so divided, Karim is a presence as a bellwether for social justice. ”
Although Abdhabal is a Muslim, he has long been a leader in rebuilding the African-American and Jewish communities.
He continues to do many important jobs as a speaker for Jews and Holocaust organizations.
At the same time, Abdul-Jabbar is a successful writer.
He has produced documentaries, written 13 books, and even contributed to well-known magazines like Time and Newsweek.
Although james has been publicly criticized recently for some reason, Abdul-Jabbar said that if one day James had a chance to break his scoring record, he would be present, just as Chamberlain did when he broke his scoring record.
Abdul-Jabbar is one of the most fascinating figures in basketball history, and whether or not James can outperform him on the scoring list, Jabbar's place in the basketball world is solid.
"The fans nowadays are mostly made up of young people who have never seen Karim play, they don't understand all this, they don't understand the hook shots, they don't understand that he changed the game."
'I still say this when people ask me, he's the best player ever.