Kareem Abdul-first Jabbar’s wife and the mother of his three older children is Habiba Abdul-Jabbar. She converted to Islam after getting married in 1971 and obtained a divorce six years later.
Habiba Abdul-Jabbar is currently pursuing a business career in the fashion sector.
The former celebrity wife is well-known for leading a private life away from the spotlight despite once being the spouse of the basketball legend who played for teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers throughout a two-decade career.
Facts About Habiba Abdul-Jabbar You Didn’t Know
1. A Look Back at Her Childhood
Janice Brown gave birth to Habiba in the US. She has, however, been able to keep certain aspects of her life a secret. Given how and where her parents lived when she first met Kareem, it is therefore likely that she is from New York.
Janice received her education at a state university in California.
2. She became a Muslim
Janice Brown was raised in a Christian home, but she later decided to change her religion to marry her love. She received instruction from the head of the black Muslim organization, the Hanafi Movement, Hamaas Abdul Khaalis, during her conversion.
She then chose the Arabic name Habiba, which means “love” or “beloved,” in place of her birth name as a sign of her newfound faith. Before founding the Hanafi movement, Hamaas converted to Islam and gave her the name Habiba.
3. When and how she met Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
After meeting at a UCLA game, Habiba and Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, now known as Abdul Kareem-Jabbar, began dating. Habiba, who at this point was still going by her birth name of Janice Brown, had been seeing someone else before Abdul Jabbar caught her attention, but she fell in love with him.
Their budding romance soon hit a snag because of his social circle, resulting in a brief breakup. For their benefit, they reconnected and continued their relationship.
They exchanged vows shortly after in an Islamic ceremony on May 28, 1971. The best part was that Kareem originally intended to marry someone else, but changed his mind after Hamaas suggested Habiba.
Kareem’s Catholic parents did not attend their wedding, which showed how deeply they loved Islam.
4. The Real Story Behind Habiba Abdul Jabbar’s Divorce From Her Notable Ex-Husband
Before it broke down, Habiba’s marriage to the now-retired basketball player lasted a few years. When their divorce is examined more closely, it becomes clear that their marriage had problems as early as 1973. They were no longer living together because their relationship was so severely damaged.
Furthermore, Cheryl Pistono, a former bystander at Hugh Hefner’s playboy estate who is now Kareem’s love interest, contributed to their eventual breakup. According to the legend, Kareem was forced to end another relationship that he had invested in because his teacher had approved of Habiba and Kareem’s union.
Then, in 1977, when his marriage was having issues, he met Cheryl, a young woman who was 10 years his junior. She wasn’t interested in sports, so at first, she didn’t recognize him. Nevertheless, after her conversion to Buddhism and Kareem’s conversion to Islam, they became attracted to one another. She eventually persuaded Kareem to divorce Habiba.
5. Habiba Abdul-Jabbar possesses a stylish outfit.
The former basketball player’s ex-wife is a writer and activist who also owns the clothing line Tutu Glam. It makes tutu skirts, which are worn by a variety of people, including ballerinas, cheerleaders, kids, and other athletes.
On the brand’s Facebook page, she posts collections.
6. The professional woman enjoys working out.
The other activities that Kareem Abdul-ex-wife Jabbar engages in are revealed by the inactive Facebook page Run Habiba Run. She loves to stay in shape while watching sports, as she married a famous athlete.
7. Three children are shared by the former basketball player and Habiba Abdul-Kareem.
She had three children during the brief six years of her marriage. She and Kareem’s two youngest children were born when they were forced to live apart due to her and Kareem’s marital problems. Let’s get to know her three kids:
Habiba Abdul-Jabar
She is Habiba’s first child with her ex-husband and the oldest of her daughters. On May 15, 1972, one year after her parents’ wedding, Habiba was born.
The famous child’s real name before he converted to Islam, Habiba Alcindor, is also used to refer to her. She was given the same name by Hamaas as her parents. She legally changed her name to Alcindor a short time before beginning her studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.
She works as a journalist, producer, director, social justice activist, and writer at the moment. She has previously held positions at The Nation, Scholastic Inc., and Oberlin. Her writings have been published in The Huffington Post. A development and marketing officer for LA Goldrush was her last employer.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar Jr.
He was born in 1976 when his parent’s marriage was experiencing difficulties. The second child of Habiba chose to play basketball like his father. He was a member of the Hilltoppers team at Western Kentucky University.
Jabbar Jr. has given up playing basketball. He has since turned his attention to a career in acting and has hosted programs like The Drop and appeared on Half And Half.
Sultana Abdul Jabar
She is the eldest of Habiba and Jabbar’s children. When Jabbar insisted on their divorce, Habiba was only three months along in her pregnancy with Sultana.
As a result, Habiba gave birth to her in 1979 after just getting divorced.
8. Her ex-husband Played Basketball Successfully
Following his twenty-year career as a professional basketball player with teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and the Lakers, Kareem is a very well-known athlete in the sports industry. He began playing basketball in high school and helped the Power Memorial team win numerous championships.
Later, he performed at UCLA, where his notoriety and appeal also grew. His selection in the 1969 NBA Draft, merely set the stage for a prosperous NBA career.
As it stands, the enormous Alcindor, now known as Kareem, holds numerous records, including six MVP awards and nineteen All-Star appearances.
He retired in 1989 after playing in the NBA for 20 seasons. After leaving basketball, Habiba’s ex-husband started writing and advocating for racial equality. In addition to his activism, he made numerous television and film appearances.
9. She’s shorter than her former spouse
There is a lot of interest in Habiba’s height because Kareem, her ex-husband, is tall, standing at 7 feet 2 inches.
Currently, Kareem Abdul-ex-height Jabbar’s wife has not been independently verified. It is not surprising to learn that the tall man holds some of the records in the history of the game given how much his height helped him succeed and dunk.
10. Amount of Habiba Abdul-Jabbar Net Worth
She has spent a considerable amount of time avoiding the spotlight in the media, so her net worth is still unknown. Nevertheless, her ex-husband earned $20 million from his writings, movie roles, and career as a basketball player.
Habiba is doing well overall based on her various businesses.
Born into a Catholic family, Habiba Abdul-Jabbar later converted to Islam to be with her now ex-husband, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. She gave birth to three children as a result of her marriage.
Despite being separated for more than 40 years, his prominent career still boosts her popularity.