Becoming Kareem

November 1, 2017

Gr 7 Up-The NBA's all-time leading scorer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, traces his path to becoming a basketball superstar and Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. Born in Harlem in 1947, shy, thoughtful Abdul-Jabbar was not on anyone's "most likely to succeed" list at the start. In this intimate narrative, he reveals how the influence of selfless, wise coaches and role models helped shape him into a proud man who scored big in basketball and grew confident as an African American and a practicing Muslim. While the tone of the work is understated and contemplative, the memoir contains powerful ideas for reflection and discussion about racism, politics, identity, and religion. The book is about so much more than a single basketball star's rise to fame. Abdul-Jabbar intertwines his narrative with that of other people who railed against injustice such as Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, and Bruce Lee. Students who enjoy sports will appreciate the details of Abdul-Jabbar's talent and acclaim, as will those who gravitate toward insightful contemporary reads from authors such as Jason Reynolds. VERDICT This timely and unforgettable memoir is essential for middle and high school collections, and affords rich opportunities for classroom and book club discussions.-Melissa Williams, Berwick Academy, ME

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2017
One of the greatest basketball players of all time reminisces on the lessons that pushed him into a life of personal reinvention.In our current moment when black athletes are joining the national confrontation with the nation's overwhelming legacy of racial injustice, few are better suited to provide context than Abdul-Jabbar. At 24, the newly minted NBA Finals MVP publicly embraced his conversion to Islam by renaming himself, choosing to become the person he wanted to be. The reactions stretched from confusion to outrage and betrayal. For this Harlem native, the influence of the massive 1960s civil rights and '70s Black Power movements and the examples set by Dr. Martin Luther King, historian John Henrik Clarke, Malcolm X, and Muhammad Ali had a lasting influence on the superstar and scholar. Abdul-Jabbar recalls them and more, including most significantly coach John Wooden of UCLA, where Abdul-Jabbar and the Bruins accumulated an awe-inspiring 88-2 record. Wooden's lessons would extend well beyond the basketball court. Abdul-Jabbar lets his many other, worldly accomplishments sit in the background, choosing to focus on the long road of self-discovery, which included many blemishes, mistakes, and struggles. Wrestling with what it means to be black, determining his own responsibility and capacity to respond to injustice, and becoming the "kindest, gentlest, smartest, lovingest, version" of himself takes center stage in this retelling of the early part of his life.Like the author's unstoppable sky hook, this timely book is a clear score. (Memoir. 10-16)

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April 23, 2018
Basketball legend Abdul-Jabbar awkwardly reads the audio edition of his memoir aimed at young listeners. The book recounts his childhood and timid teenage years in NYC, his transformation into a basketball phenomenon, his success on the court, and his spiritual growth and conversion to Islam. Throughout, he talks about the people he met and admired—such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Wilt Chamberlain—who left enduring marks on his political views and life on and off the court. Unfortunately, Abdul-Jabbar’s performance lacks confidence and too often sounds like he’s reading off the page rather than telling his life story. Abdul-Jabbar’s story is fascinating, but the audiobook is frustrating to listen to. Ages 10–13. A Little, Brown hardcover.

Starred review from November 1, 2017
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is nearing 70, and from that vantage, he writes, he is able to see the big picture, which is comprised of the many details, observations, and revelations that comprise this autobiography. It begins with a name. Abdul-Jabbar was born Lewis Alcindor. It wasn't until he was a 24-year-old student of Islam that he assumed the name the world knows, which signaled who he wanted to beand is the substance of this fine, thoughtful memoir. More than a play-by-play sports story, it's an honest, powerful exposition of what it means to be black in white America, offering a de facto history of the civil rights movement. But it's also a celebration of education and the teachers who helped him become Kareem; teachers like his UCLA mentor Coach John Wooden; Dr. John Henrik Clarke of the Harlem Youth Action Project, who Abdul-Jabbar says was crucial to him in understanding my path; sports legends Wilt Chamberlain and Muhammad Ali; and others. Most of all, this is a coming-of-age story that focuses entirely on Abdul-Jabbar's childhood and young adulthood and demonstrates how this foundation would lead to his becoming one of the most successful and famous basketball players of all time. An inspiring and very human story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)