Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a basketball legend who played the sport for many years. He came on the scene as a high school player and continued to make a name for himself in college. He played so well in the NBA that he held nine records when he retired, including one as the all-time highest scorer.

What some people don’t know about him, though, is that he also lives with a leukemia diagnosis. His diagnosis has inspired others with leukemia to keep moving forward. Keep reading to discover more about Abdul-Jabbar’s diagnosis and treatment experience.

Getting Diagnosed

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML, also known as chronic myelogenous leukemia) in 2008. At the time, he decided to see a doctor about some hot flashes and night sweats he’d been having. His doctor did routine blood work, which showed that his white blood cell count was extremely high. He was told it was leukemia. After that, he had to wait to find out what form of leukemia he had.

Upon hearing that he had leukemia, Abdul-Jabbar was afraid. Both his grandfather and one uncle had died from a different form of cancer, and his dad almost died from leukemia, too. On top of that, a good friend of his was diagnosed with leukemia (a different type) and died within four weeks.

Abdul-Jabbar turned to his son Amir, who was 28 and studying medicine. He was able to give his dad a realistic outlook on what CML was, what treatment might look like, the side effects he might experience, what CML might mean for his life expectancy, and more.

All of this reassured Abdul-Jabbar. It helped him focus on finding the right doctor and getting the best treatment he could for CML.

What Kind of Cancer Did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Have?

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in 2008. He was also diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010, lives with a heart condition called atrial fibrillation, and has had open-heart surgery.

A Journey Through Treatment

A good treatment was available for the type of CML that Abdul-Jabbar was diagnosed with. His prognosis was good, even though his treatment would be ongoing.

Abdul-Jabbar takes a pill that targets a specific abnormal protein that causes leukemia. He has said he feels very lucky that he lives in a time and place where this treatment has been developed and that his body responds well to it. He’s even served as a spokesperson for the company that makes the medication he uses.

Once his medication started working, Abdul-Jabbar was able to get back to his normal schedule. That has even included being a coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, the team for which he was once a star. As long as he stays on his medication and gets regular blood tests, he feels well.

Abdul-Jabbar has noted how important it is to find a healthcare provider who understands CML, has experience working with it, and understands his particular case. This is an important part of how he has thrived while living with this disease.

Abdul-Jabbar waited about a year to talk about his cancer diagnosis. In the end, he wanted people to know that cancer isn’t always a death sentence. Instead, some people may be able to live well for years while managing cancer.

Abdul-Jabbar hasn’t talked openly about what cancer treatment was like for him. But he has shared that getting treatment and sticking to his schedule of pills and blood work has allowed him to take control of the diagnosis and manage it on his own, regardless of any side effects he might experience.

Fighting the Good Fight

Abdul-Jabbar has given his time and energy to a number of causes. He auctioned off memorabilia from his sports career to raise almost $3 million to bring STEM education to underserved communities. His championship rings brought in the most money, though his trophies contributed quite a lot, too.

He’s also worked with UCLA Health to raise money for a number of health-based initiatives over the years. Some of this time and energy has been spent raising money for research into blood cancers like CML. He has also worked to raise money for research into colon cancer.

More recently, Abdul-Jabbar has worked with UCLA Health to help ensure Black people and other underrepresented groups in America get the same access to healthcare that white people do. Abdul-Jabbar is planning to advise UCLA Health about changes they can make so minority populations feel more confident that they’ll get the care they need when they go to the doctor.

Living as a Survivor

Abdul-Jabbar once described himself as cancer-free, but later said that he misspoke. He has learned that he will never, technically, be in remission from CML, because it could always return. Instead, he now says that he has managed his cancer down to a microscopic level. This means that there are so few cancer cells in his body that they’re difficult to detect, even though he and his doctors know that they’re there.

Now, Abdul-Jabbar knows that leukemia is something he’ll live with for the rest of his life. While that may not excite him, he also recognizes that his life is a gift. He acknowledges that by doing so many things with it.

For instance, he wrote a book about the Harlem Renaissance Big Five, a Black basketball team trying to succeed despite racism in the U.S. before World War II. That was turned into a documentary, and Abdul-Jabbar traveled across the country promoting it and talking about it with students in their classrooms.

He has also been on “Dancing With the Stars,” competing against other celebrities with dance partner Jordan Fisher. While it took him a while to get the hang of dancing, he eventually did and had a great experience.

He’s also gotten into yoga, and he’ll likely never give up coaching and writing. In fact, he wrote a book about how the world has changed during his lifetime and how everyone can support social justice initiatives. He has an active Instagram account and his own Substack, allowing him to connect with others who want to follow his journey.

In doing all of this, Abdul-Jabbar shows how it’s possible to live well despite a leukemia diagnosis. He’s shown us all just how much a cancer survivor can do and the kind of impact he can have as someone living with the disease.

Join the Conversation

On MyLeukemiaTeam, people share their experiences with leukemia, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Whose cancer journey with leukemia inspires you the most? Let others know in the comments below.