UCLA's Lew Alcindor shoots a free throw during a NCAA game in 1968


Greatest College Basketball Players Stadium Talk

May 4, 1965 - Lew Alcindor, the nation's most sought-after high school basketball player, announced his intentions to attend UCLA. Poised and articulate during his first news conference, the 7.


Freshman Lew Alcindor in action vs UCLA Varsity, Los Angeles, CA News

FILE - Lew Alcindor (33), later known as Kareem Abdul Jabbar, poses with his UCLA teammates as basketball practice gets underway in Los Angeles, Oct. 14, 1966. Players from left are, Mike.


Classic Photos of UCLA Basketball Sports Illustrated

Abdul-Jabbar was known as Lew Alcindor when he played at parochial high school Power Memorial in New York City, where he led their team to 71 consecutive wins. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins, winning three consecutive national championships under head coach John Wooden. [8]


Freshman Lew Alcindor in action vs UCLA Varsity, Los Angeles, CA News

Lew Alcindor, a dominant figure in undergraduate basketball for three years, was named College Player of the Year by The Associated Press on Feb. 28, 1969, in Los Angeles. He sits at center court in UCLA's Pauley Pavilion. AP Photo K areem Abdul-Jabbar is known as one of the greatest basketball players in history.


Sporting News Kareem AbdulJabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor...

Fifty years ago, the college basketball earth shook. Wherever UCLA went, awe followed, mostly because of the 7-foot-2 Bruin who could not be stopped. His name was Lew Alcindor, before it was.


Lot Detail 196669 circa Lew Alcindor UCLA Bruins "TSN Collection

UCLA's dynasty under coach John Wooden began in the 1960s with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, and kept right on going with Bill Walton in the '70s. With the big redhead — and Deadhead — in the middle, the Bruins won consecutive national championships to stretch Wooden's streak to an unprecedented seven straight titles.


Final Four Most Outstanding Players from 1939 to present

UCLA's dynasty under coach John Wooden began in the 1960s with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, and kept right on going with Bill Walton in the '70s. With the big redhead — and…


Lot Detail 196669 circa Lew Alcindor UCLA Bruins "The Sporting News

Season summary This was the season Lew Alcindor, later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, debuted on to the college basketball scene. After playing on the freshman team under then NCAA rules, Alcindor dominated at the varsity level as a sophomore, leading UCLA to an undefeated 30-0 record while averaging 29.0 points and 15.5 rebounds.


Closeup of UCLA Lew Alcindor during commencement exercises on... News

Sports College College Basketball During the 1960s, UCLA ascended to No. 1 and was rarely knocked from its perch Lew Alcindor (33), later known as Kareem Abdul Jabbar, poses with his UCLA.


UCLA's Lew Alcindor shoots a free throw during a NCAA game in 1968

UCLA's dynasty under coach John Wooden began in the 1960s with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, and kept right on going with Bill Walton in the '70s.


Ucla Lew Alcindor, 1969 Ncaa National Championship Sports Illustrated

FILE - Lew Alcindor (33), later known as Kareem Abdul Jabbar, poses with his UCLA teammates as basketball practice gets underway in Los Angeles, Oct. 14, 1966. Players from left are, Mike Warren (44), a guard from South Bend, Ind.; Mike Lynn (35), forward from Covina, Ca.;


Lot Detail 196769 circa Lew Alcindor UCLA Bruins "The Sporting News

1 of 10 FILE - Lew Alcindor (33), later known as Kareem Abdul Jabbar, poses with his UCLA teammates as basketball practice gets underway in Los Angeles, Oct. 14, 1966. Players from left are, Mike Warren (44), a guard from South Bend, Ind.; Mike Lynn (35), forward from Covina, Ca.; Alcindor; Edgar Lacey (54), forward from Los Angeles; and Don Saffer (25), guard from Los Angeles.


Lot Detail 1968 circa Lew Alcindor UCLA "The Sporting News Collection

Two years after them, and led by a 7-foot-2 phenom from New York named Lew Alcindor — later Abdul-Jabbar — they would win the first of seven in a row, a streak of pure dominance that wrapped.


Lot Detail 1967 Lew Alcindor UCLA Bruins "The Sporting News

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, formerly known as Lew Alcindor in college, is one of the greatest basketball players ever. In his legendary career, he nearly went undefeated in college, playing a critical.


Lot Detail 1968 Lew Alcindor UCLA Bruins "The Sporting News

Heavily sought by collegiate basketball programs, he played for the UCLA Bruins from 1966 to 1969 under coach John Wooden, contributing to the team's three-y.


Game of the century UH's basketball victory over UCLA in the Astrodome

1969 — Lew Alcindor scores 37 points to lead UCLA to the NCAA men's basketball title with a 97-72 win over Purdue. Alcindor, who in 1971 changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, also grabs.