Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Children: Facts about His 3 Sons & 2 Daughters

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has welcomed five children, and life has taken them down different career paths. However, the former NBA star revealed that the most important things for him are that his kids receive an education and follow their hearts.

7-foot-2 former Laker star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a basketball icon, a proud father to three sons and two daughters, and a grandfather. However, despite their father's fame, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's children do not lead lives in the public eye.

One of his daughters changed her name to escape her father's fame. However, that has not stopped the siblings from being there for their famous dad, from his birthday celebration to his cancer diagnosis.

Who Are the Mothers of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Children?

Kareem married his ex-wife, Habiba Abdul-Jabbar, in 1971, and the pair welcomed three children — Habiba Alcindor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jr., and Sultana Alcindor — before their divorce in 1978.

Following the NBA star's separation from his first wife, he fathered two more children, Amir and Adam, Abdul-Jabbar, with his partner, Cheryl Pistono. During an interview, Kareem reflected on his impressive career, and when asked what advice he offered his children about their careers, the former basketball player shared:

"Well, the very first thing is to be educated. My youngest is in college now, and the other four all have their degrees. And then I've just told them to follow their hearts, their instincts."

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jr.

Kareem Jr. was born on August 23, 1976, in Los Angeles, California, and proved he inherited his father's height as he grew over six feet tall. The former Lakers star's son followed in his father's footsteps and played basketball for years, earning praise for his forwarding shooting abilities, passing skills, and defensive talent.

He was on the winning team at the Southern California NBA Summer Pro League for two consecutive years and was named an Academic All-American in 1998-1999. However, towards the end of his basketball career, Kareem Jr. set his sights on the Hollywood acting scene.

He landed his first acting credit in 2003 in "Doggy Fizzle Televizzle," co-starring Snoop Dogg. From there, he shared the small screen with Eric Christian Olsen and Philip Baker Hall in "The Loop," the silver screen with Beau Bridges in "Americanizing Shelley," and more.

Habiba Alcindor

Habiba has made a name for herself as a journalist, dramatist, social activist, and filmmaker, and she used to work on Wall Street. Years ago, she was working on a television series, "Gold Rush," which focused on the "Showtime Lakers" and her experiences as a daughter of a sporting star.

By 2018, Kareem's daughter had changed her Abdul-Jabbar surname to her grandparents' name, Alcindor. According to Habiba, it was to reflect her heritage and to move away from the legacy of her father's name while making a name for herself as a creative.

In 2021, Kareem's son ran into trouble with the law for harming his neighbor.

"I hope to entertain, offer advice, address current issues, and share my unique story and my continued journey to create and inspire through my work [...] I look forward to making many new friends, sharing thoughts and introducing the world to my meta-drama." Habiba's website reads.

Dr. Amir Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem's second son, Amir, is an Orthopedic Spine Surgeon who completed medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, in 2012 and his residency at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in 2017.

"When you see patients improve and have a better lifestyle and more functionality, then it really makes it meaningful to me. I really feel lucky to be able to work with patients and have them allow me to take part in their care," Amir said.

Beyond his profession, Amir enjoys cycling, yoga, and camping. In the late 2000s, his father was diagnosed with leukemia, and the surgeon was not only by his father's side in a medical capacity, but he also supported his father. Kareem said:

"He was a real great source for me, just that I can talk to him about it. Being a doctor, he understood what was happening and gave me a realistic viewpoint on it. That means a lot to me."

Adam Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem and Cheryl welcomed their second son together, Adam, on September 24, 1991, at the Saddleback Memorial Medical Center. Following his birth, Adam broke the hospital's record for being the longest baby they had delivered, coming in at a whopping 22 3/4 inches.

According to a family friend, Kareem named his son after Adam Clayton Powell, and despite his height and having an NBA legend for a father, Adam did not pursue a basketball career.

Over the years, Kareem's children have made him a grandfather.

In 2021, Kareem's son ran into trouble with the law for harming his neighbor. After the two got into a dispute over trash cans the year before, Kareem's son pleaded guilty to stabbing his neighbor.

Adam faced four charges, including two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. A judge ultimately sentenced him to 180 days in jail and two years probation, leading to an outcry from prosecutors who felt the punishment did not fit the crime.

Sultana Alcindor

There is very little information about Kareem and Habiba's second daughter's life, as she is the most private of all her siblings. However, Sultana has been spotted out with her famous father several times.

In 2008, Sultana smiled for the camera as she posed with her brother Kareem Jr. and her father at the grand opening of the Conga Room at LA Live in Los Angeles. In 2014, her father took to Instagram to share a snap of him and his daughter with Zac Efron enjoying a Lakers versus Mavericks game.

"Hanging w Zac Effron & my daughter Sultana @ Lakers vs Mavericks - great time & got to celebrate the 30th anniversary of becoming the all time leading scorer w my Laker family & fans (sic)," Kareem captioned the post.

A few years later, Sultana and her brothers Kareem Jr. and Adam gathered at Staples Center in Los Angeles to celebrate their father's birthday. Over the years, Kareem's children have made him a grandfather.

After he was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, the retired athlete realized he needed to care for his health to have time to watch his grandkids grow up. "It was a wake-up call because the whole time I thought, 'Hey, I'm an athlete,'" Kareem revealed.