Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, universally considered one of the greatest players in NBA history, is facing a lengthy recovery after breaking his hip during a fall last week.
Abdul-Jabbar, 76, affectionately known in the sports world as “The Captain,” was in attendance at a concert in Los Angeles County when the mishap occurred. He was rushed to the UCLA Medical Center, where he underwent surgery “with no complications.”
His business partner, Deborah Morales, informed the Associated Press that Abdul-Jabbar will “be in recovery for the next three months.”
Abdul-Jabbar was the anchor during the “Showtime Era” of the Los Angeles Lakers who, along with fellow legend Magic Johnson, won five NBA championships and appeared in seven Finals in the 1980s.
Black Americans also love the always solemn Abdul-Jabbar for his stance on sociopolitical issues. Most prominent was when The Captain decided to stand with venerated boxer Muhammad Ali in the 1960s when he faced prison time for his conscientious objection to joining the military.
The effervescent Johnson was among the first to publicly show concern for the stoic teammate with whom he is inextricably intertwined.
“I’m wishing my Showtime teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a speedy recovery after falling and breaking his hip! Praying for the Captain!” Johnson posted on the X platform.
This is the latest in a series of health challenges Abdul-Jabbar has faced in recent years. He was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, a blood cancer, in 2008 and disclosed that he had prostate cancer in 2020.
