Show notes:
Intro (00:00 - 00:49)
Preview of our player spotlight on the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (00:50 -01:26)
Debut season with the Los Angeles Lakers and seventh of his career: a losing record but yet winning his fourth NBA MVP (01:27 - 03:23)
Eighth season: Jerry West take over the coaching duties from Bill Sharman, a surprising finish for the year and his fifth NBA MVP (03:24 - 05:25)
Ninth season: rookie Kent Benson's elbowing Kareem and thus breaking his hand in retaliation which caused him to miss 20 games and his first and only All Star non-appearance (05:26 - 08:45)
Tenth season: getting back to form and thus making his return to the All Star Game and a playoff run derailed (08:46 - 09:53)
Eleventh season: the arrival of rookie Magic Johnson and new coach Jack McKinney, McKinney's bicycle accident leading the way for Paul Westhead's takeover as head coach, his first NBA championship as a Laker and second overall as well as his sixth and final NBA MVP award (09:54 - 14:24)
Twelfth season: his last 20+ points and 10+ rebounds season as a pro and a surprisingly quick playoff exit thanks to the Houston Rockets (14:25 - 16:00)
Thirteenth season: Pat Riley taking the reins as head coach after a Paul Westhead firing 11 games into the season but yet a championship winning season (16:01 - 17:53)
Fourteenth season: another run to the NBA Finals but falling short of the Philadelphia 76ers (17:54 - 18:56)
Fifteenth season which included Kareem breaking Wilt Chamberlain's all-time scoring record and a crushing loss to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals (18:57 - 20:55)
Sixteenth season: the Revenge Tour where they finally beat the Celtics in a NBA Finals and Kareem becoming the oldest player to win the NBA Finals MVP award (20:56 - 24:40)
Seventeenth season: break the years played record held by four other players and another surprising playoff loss to the Houston Rockets (24:41 - 26:17)
Eighteenth and nineteenth season: two more championships beating the Celtics again and the Detroit Pistons and Kareem announcing that the next season would be his last year playing (26:18 - 28:59)
Twentieth and final season: the Retirement Tour where arenas across the league paid homage to Kareem and a disappointing Finals sweep to the Pistons (29:00 - 31:19)
Pursuing a coaching career after his playing days; suing Miami Dolphins player Karim Abdul-Jabbar for trying to profit off of Kareem's name and jersey number (31:20 - 34:52)
Written books, mystery novels and audiobooks (34:53 - 36:47)
Acting credits including movies, TV and reality TV as well as his podcast (36:48 - 41:58)
His activism throughout the years, other achievements outside of the playing field, his health and his house burning down in 1983 (41:59 - 45:55)
His accolades including the high school, college and pro careers (45:56 - 51:45)
What his coach, peers and other players say about Kareem (51:46 - 60:41)
Call to action (60:42 - 62:00)