Sultana Abdul-Jabbar is the youngest daughter of legendary basketballer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with his ex-wife, Habiba Abdul-Jabbar. Her life is always linked to her famous father who is now a writer and social activist.
As one of Abdul-Jabbar’s five children, Sultana is a very private person. Aside from her father’s outstanding records in NBA history, here is all we found out about her.
Facts That No One Told You About Sultana Abdul-Jabbar
1. Who Is Sultana Abdul-Jabbar?
Sultana Abdul-Jabbar was born in April 1979 in Los Angeles, California to her famed father, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and mother, Habiba Abdul-Jabbar. The 46-year-old started life in a Muslim household hence her Arabic name which means, Strength or authority.
As it is, her mother and two siblings, Habiba and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jr. were the consistent part of her childhood while her father was building his basketball career.
2. She Traces her Lineage To Yoruba Ancestry
Going by Sultana’s family history, she is of Yoruba ancestry. Her father revealed in an interview that his ancestors are of Yoruba origin in modern-day Nigeria. Also, they were taken away from their home during the slave trade that lasted many years.
As it is, Sultana’s ancestors later got the name Alcindor from their slave master, a French man who went by the name. The story goes that this French planter brought her ancestors from Trinidad to America.
Following this, the name Alcindor stuck even though, her father, Kareem later changed his name to Abdul-Jabbar after he converted to Islam.
3. Her Parents Met in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Senior Year at UCLA
Sultana’s father and mother’s love relationship began at a time when he had great prospects for a career in the NBA. They met at a Lakers game while her father was in his senior year.
As it is, they were acquainted through another friend but Kareem quickly went to ask her to one of the UCLA games. After she accepted, they became close and started dating shortly after.
4. Sultana’s Father And Mother Converted to Islam Before Their Marriage
Her father was only 24 when he converted to Islam. As the story goes, he had been introduced to the religion earlier on and with his interest in Malcolm X, it was easy for him to change his faith.
Moreso, the attachment to his black ancestry and his conclusion that most slaves from Africa were Muslims further made it more about his past.
His conversion also made marriage attractive as per the teachings of his spiritual leader, Hamaas Abdul Khaalis, leader of the Hanafi Movement. Following this new direction, he rejected the idea of joining the nation of Islam opting for the former.
Following the suggestion of Hamaas, he picked Sultana’s mother among other options to be his wife. In the process, Habiba chose to adopt her boyfriend’s religion.
By and large, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar while her mother who was born Janice Brown was named Habiba by her Hamaas.
5. Sultana’s Abdul-Jabbar’s Grandparents Did Not Attend Her Parent’s Wedding
Following her parent’s conversion to Islam, they married on May 28, 1971, according to Islamic laws. It is observed that her grandparents, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr. and Cora Lillian were not in attendance on a great day in the life of her father and his wife.
There are reports that suggest Kareem’s parents were not allowed to attend the ceremony due to their Christian background. Still yet, some sources claim that Kareem was not aware that Islamic marriages were held at night and this prevented his parents from attending.
Sultana’s father realized too late the error of his parent’s absence from his wedding. As some sources report, it took him the next decade to mend the relationship. Thankfully, this was done before his father’s sad death in 2005 at the age of 86.
6. Her Father Divorced Her Mother While She Was Still Pregnant With Her
It is generally believed that her parent’s marriage crashed after 7 years. Prior to this, her father and mother separated in 1973. At the time, they moved into separate houses and started living apart despite still married.
Subsequently, her father asked for a divorce in 1978 after his then-girlfriend Cheryl Piston advised him. In a twist, her mother was already three months pregnant when the now-retired basketball player asked for a divorce.
Nonetheless, it was in 1983 that their divorce was officially finalized.
7. She is The Third Child Among Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Children
Kareem fathered five children from different relationships. Of her father’s five children, Sultana and her two siblings were the oldest three. Her two siblings from her parent’s union are Habiba Abdul-Jabbar, the oldest, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jr.
Habiba changed her surname to the original family surname of Alcindor and she is pursuing a career as a writer, director, producer, and activist. Sultana’s older brother, Abdul-Jabbar Jr., followed in their father’s footsteps as a basketball player. However, he played for a short while before he left to pursue an acting career.
Aside from her and her siblings through her parent’s marriage, her father had other children from other relationships.
She has two younger brothers, Amir Abdul-Jabbar and Adam Abdul-Jabbar. Her younger brother, Amir is an orthopedic surgeon while Adam is an actor. Her 33-year-old brother, Adam had several clashes with the law. The serious one was in 2020 when he stabbed his neighbor over throwing thrash. It led to his being sentenced to 2 years probation and 180 days of house arrest.
8. Sultana Abdul-Jabbar’s Father Had a Successful Career in The NBA
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played in the NBA for 20 seasons before he retired in 1989. At the height of his fame, he broke many records and caused some NBA rules to be adjusted.
Starting from his use of goggles due to a scratched cornea to the Alcindor rule, Kareem proved his talent on the court. The Alcindor rule was introduced in 1967 to reduce the dominance of players like Kareem who had a height advantage. Over the next ten years, the 7 ft 2inches center moved away from dunking to mastering a good hook shot.
As it is his stellar performance saw him through 14 seasons with the LA Lakers and 6 with the Milwaukee Bucks. Within that time, he led the Lakers to 5 NBA titles and 1 with the Bucks.
9. Her Father is a Writer and Activist
Sultana’s 78-year-old father is renowned for his writing and activism. He wrote his autobiography Giant Steps in 1983 and followed this up with other books and contributions to columns.
The legendary basketball player is often compared to other NBA greats such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird among many others. He has added to his popularity through his religious and racial activism.
See Also: Mercy Miller – Master P’s Son Is More Interested In Basketball Than Music
10. Where is Sultana Abdul-Jabbar Now?
Sultana’s whereabouts remain an item for speculation since she keeps a low profile. As it is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s daughter has not revealed any details about her love life or what she is up to. However, it is possible that she is leading an exciting life away from the camera lens.
Sultana Abdul-Jabar is an important part of the life of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar being that she is his third child from his marriage with Habiba Abdul-Jabbar. The celebrity daughter managed to stay away from publicity despite her father’s astounding record as a basketball player.
Discussion about this post