How old is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and why is he in the hospital?

The sentence “Kareem Abdul-Jabbar fell down” doesn’t even begin to explain the mishap he recently suffered. At seven-foot-two inches, the Presidential Medal of Freedom winner, NBA legend, and U.S. cultural ambassador had a treacherous amount of distance to cover when he tumbled in Los Angeles on the evening of Dec. 15, 2023.

The accident, reported on by People, occurred while the 76-year-old was attending a concert in L.A. Per a statement from his business partner Deborah Morales, Abdul-Jabbar’s fall resulted in a broken hip. The former Lakers center and bestselling author received assistance from the Los Angeles Fire Department, was transported to UCLA Hospital, and is scheduled to receive surgery.

Concerned well-wishers and fans had plenty of reasons to be concerned following news of Abdul-Jabbar’s hospitalization. He was diagnosed with leukemia in 2008, heart disease in 2015, and in 2020, he went public with an earlier prostate cancer diagnosis. Nothing if not pragmatic, the all-star athlete and recent Dave guest star expressed gratitude for his ability to provide himself with above-average healthcare, writing for Web MD that “No one wants an NBA legend dying on their watch. Imagine the Yelp reviews.”

Fans of the Airplane star can no doubt follow Abdul-Jabbar’s recovery progress thanks to the six-time NBA champion’s substack, where he relays his thoughts on “sports, politics, and popular culture and how they define America.” He can also be spotted on all major social media platforms. In the meantime, we’ll keep you updated as more information on Abdul-Jabbar’s condition becomes available.

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