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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar remains one of the greatest basketball players of all time. While he has been popular during his time on the court, not many know much about his personal life.
The six-time NBA champion was an absolute delight to watch on the court. He was a crucial piece in the Showtime Lakers and helped the franchise win five championships.
Throughout his 20-year career, he became the all-time leading scorer in league history. Although the record has been in place since 1989, LeBron James is inching closer to breaking it and could do so before the end of the 2022-23 NBA season.
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's wife Habiba Abdul-Jabbar
Habiba, whose maiden name is Janice Brown, was a Christian before meeting Kareem. She made the switch to Islam because of the NBA great and was given the name Habiba after her conversion. The couple reportedly first got together while she was in college.
Although she has managed to keep a low profile over the years, her association with Kareem has made it difficult. Outside of being the wife of the NBA star, not much else is known about Habiba.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar divorces his wife
Kareem found it difficult to settle into family life after getting married, and that was the primary factor that led to their divorce. Although the divorce was finalized in 1978, they were separated in 1973.
Kareem and Habiba tied the knot on 28th May 1971. Their union did not start in the most blissful way as Habiba's parents were not allowed into the mosque for the ceremony because of their Catholic faith.
At the time, Kareem was a new Muslim convert and reportedly had no idea what happened until after the ceremony. Habiba's parents were understandably pissed as they were denied the opportunity to see their daughter get married after traveling from New York to Washington D.C. for that singular purpose.
The situation caused a rift early in the marriage, and Kareem spent years trying to make up for it. He made it a point to always shout out to "Moms and Pops in New York" whenever he appeared on national television.
Another major reason that led to their divorce was Kareem's migraines, which developed from destabilization in the Muslim community. He lost a friend and six relatives of his mentor Khalifa Hamaas Abdul Khaalis in a rival attack.
The LA Lakers legend was also a target but he successfully stayed out of reach. His life was also threatened in 1977 by the Jewish Defense League after Khaalis and his Hanafi group exacted revenge by kidnapping 132 people and holding them hostage for 38 hours.
Kareem has not lived with his wife since 1973, even as they continued to have kids until 1979. During that time, he started a relationship with Cheryl Pistono, who reportedly had his ear more than any of his teachers and friends. She reportedly advised him to get a divorce from Habiba, and the split was official in 1978.
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Guess the Lakers players!
