A National Basketball Association star from 1975-1989, he became the all-time leading scorer in 1984. Who is he?

The legendary 7-foot-2 center is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was born Ferdinand Lewis "Lew" Alcindor Jr. He changed his name in 1971 after converting to Islam, a year after he began his professional career. His offensive dominance was built upon his signature "skyhook" shot, a graceful and nearly unblockable maneuver that allowed him to score consistently over any defender for two decades.

His career is split into two iconic eras. After winning a championship with the Milwaukee Bucks, he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975. There, he became the veteran anchor of the "Showtime" Lakers, a dynasty that dominated the 1980s and won five NBA titles. His remarkable consistency and longevity earned him a record six NBA Most Valuable Player awards.

On April 5, 1984, Abdul-Jabbar took a pass from teammate Magic Johnson and swished a skyhook to surpass Wilt Chamberlain as the league's all-time leading scorer. He would continue to build on that total until his retirement in 1989, setting a mark of 38,387 points. His record was considered one of the most unbreakable in sports, standing for nearly 39 years before LeBron James finally surpassed it in 2023.