Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court

The NCAA is an American organization that governs college athletics, establishing rules of games and assessing eligibility to play. In Becoming Kareem, the NCAA plays an important role in Abdul-Jabbar’s college career as a basketball player as the organization banned the dunk shot during his junior year. This forced him to perfect his hook shot, which became his signature move during his NBA career.

The hook shot is a basketball play in which the player shoots the ball with one hand, aiming backward over their shoulder. Abdul-Jabbar first tried this shot as a nine-year-old and went on to perfect it throughout his career. It became his signature move as an NBA player.

The dashiki is a traditional men’s tunic from West Africa. Abdul-Jabbar recalls donning his dashiki publicly for the first time after winning a championship game in college. He refers to his dashiki as his “dignity robe” because of how it made him feel connected to his African heritage.