Before Michael Jordan and LeBron James, many fans considered Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to be the greatest player of all time. Formerly known as Lew Alcindor, the big man entered the league in 1969 and went on to have one of the most dominant careers in the history of the league.
Kareem led the Milwaukee Bucks to the NBA championship in just his second season, bringing them their only NBA championship at the time. And when he left to join the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975, he stepped up his game to an incredible degree.
He won 5 more NBA championships in Los Angeles, dominating the 80s alongside fellow superstar Magic Johnson. Kareem eventually retired in 1989, with 6 NBA championships, 5 regular-season MVPs, and becoming the highest scorer in NBA history, a record that still stands to this day.
Abdul-Jabbar became one of the greatest big men of all time, much like his former idol Wilt Chamberlain, with whom he shared an intense rivalry. But before he was in the NBA, Kareem played for UCLA and was a true sensation there.