Today in Sports History: December 12

By Brandon Zhu

In 1984, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 15 points in the Lakers’ 131-107 victory over Golden State, making him the first player in NBA history to surpass 32,000 career points. Kareem finished his career with 38,387 points and he is currently still at the top of the NBA All-Time Points Leaders list. Named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, the legendary big man is known for his patented skyhook. Kareem played 20 seasons in the NBA and won six NBA titles. Kareem’s first ring came with the Milwaukee Bucks. He led them to their first and only NBA championship in 1971. The Bucks swept the Baltimore Bullets in the finals. In game 4, Kareem posted 27 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists to help close out the series. Kareem won the Finals MVP and NBA MVP in 1971. Kareem went on to win five more rings playing an integral role on the “Showtime” Lakers. His other accolades include 6x NBA MVP, 15x All-NBA Team selections, 11x NBA All-Defensive Team selections, and 19x NBA All-Star. Kareem was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995 and his no. 33 is retired by the Bucks and Lakers.

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