53 pages • 1 hour read
Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court is a 2017 memoir by NBA star and activist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It traces the author’s youth, beginning with his early childhood and ending in his initial years playing for the National Basketball Association (NBA). Abdul-Jabbar shares stories about his family, schooling, and sports, and he also reveals the personal experiences that prompted him to embrace a new name and religion as a young man. He reflects on the joys and struggles of his childhood in New York City, coming of age as a Black American during the civil rights movement, and creating his own path as a player and person. The memoir explores themes of race, identity, religion, and personal values.
This guide uses the 2017 Kindle eBook edition of this book, published by Hachette Book Group.
Content Warning: This book depicts racial discrimination and racial violence.
Summary
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was born in 1947 as Lewis “Lew” Alcindor, and he recalls growing up in the 1950s in an ethnically diverse Manhattan housing project. His parents emphasized the importance of education, and he was an obedient and studious child. While his father, a transit cop and talented musician, was very withdrawn, Abdul-Jabbar was closer with his mother, a seamstress, who enjoyed taking him to the movies.
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