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The Rough History Of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Wife Habiba Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is considered one of basketball’s all-time greats, yet few know much about his personal life outside the court. Despite being well known on the court, few people know much about his personal struggles.
The six-time NBA champion was an amazing force on the court. His presence as part of the Showtime Lakers and their five championship wins make him a legend in basketball history.
Over his two-decade NBA career, LeBron James established himself as the all-time leading scorer. Although this record has stood since 1989, LeBron James is closing in on breaking it and could do so before 2022-23 season ends.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s wife Habiba Abdul-Jabbar
Habiba, whose maiden name was Janice Brown, converted to Islam after meeting Kareem. After marrying the NBA great, she was given the name Habiba after their conversion. It is believed that they first got together while still in college.
Habiba has maintained a low profile over the years, but her relationship with Kareem has made it challenging. Other than being his wife, not much else is known about her other than that she’s married to an NBA star.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Divorces His Wife
After getting married to Shamira, Kareem found it difficult to adjust into family life after they separated. This ultimately led to their divorce being finalized in 1978 but had actually occurred previously in 1973.
On May 28th 1971, Kareem and Habiba tied the knot. Unfortunately, due to Habiba’s Catholic faith, her parents were not permitted into the mosque for their ceremony.
At the time, Kareem had just become a Muslim convert and had no idea of what had occurred until after the ceremony.
Habiba’s parents were understandably furious that they weren’t given a chance to witness their daughter get married after traveling from New York to Washington D.C. with one purpose in mind – to witness their daughter get married.
Due to this early rift in their marriage, Kareem spent years trying to mend things. When appearing on national television shows, he always made sure to shout out “Moms and Pops in New York” with enthusiasm.
Kareem’s migraines, caused by destabilization in the Muslim community, also contributed to their divorce. He tragically lost a friend and six relatives of his mentor Khalifa Hamaas Abdul Khaalis in an attack by rivals.
Kareem had not lived with his wife since 1973
The LA Lakers legend was also targeted, yet managed to remain out of reach. His life was also endangered in 1977 by the Jewish Defense League when Khaalis and his Hanafi group exacted revenge by kidnapping 132 people and holding them hostage for 38 hours.
Kareem had not lived with his wife since 1973, even as they continued to have children until 1979. During that period, he formed an relationship with Cheryl Pistono who reportedly had more influence over him than any of his teachers or friends.
She reportedly advised him to get divorced from Habiba in 1978, leading to their official separation in 1978.
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