Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Recovering from Quadruple Bypass Surgery
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, one of NBA's greatest players of all time, underwent successful quadruple coronary bypass surgery.
The NBA's all-time leading scorer (38,387) was diagnosed with cardiovascular disease earlier this week. He had the operation on his 68th birthday this past Thursday at the Ronald Regan UCLA Medical Center, the UCLA Health System confirmed in a statement on Friday. The UCLA's chief of cardiac surgery, Dr. Richard Shemin, performed the bypass.
"At this time, Abdul-Jabbar would like to thank his surgical team and the medical staff at UCLA, his alma mater, for the excellent care he has received," the statement read. "He is looking forward to getting back to his normal activities soon. He asks that you keep him in your thoughts and, most importantly, cherish and live each day to its fullest."
Abdul-Jabbar also asked his fans to "support those in your own community who may be suffering from various health issues."
Abdul-Jabbar started his professional career in 1969 when he was selected first overall by the Milwaukee Bucks. Abdul-Jabbar was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975 and finished out his career there. Thoughout his 20 years in the league, he was a six-time MVP, six-time NBA champion and a 19-time All-Star. He averaged 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
