You see the name pop up in trivia apps or old Lakers reels, and it's always the same question. People want to know about the kareem abdul jabbar wife situation because, honestly, the man is a ghost when it comes to his romantic life today. He’s 7-foot-2, a literal icon, and yet he’s managed to keep the details of his heart under tighter lock and key than a championship trophy.
The short answer? He doesn't have a wife. Not right now.
But the story of the one woman he did marry—Habiba Abdul-Jabbar—is a wild, complicated, and deeply personal slice of NBA history. It’s not just about a wedding; it’s about a massive cultural shift, a name change that shook the sports world, and a marriage that took place while Kareem was transforming from Lew Alcindor into the legend we know.
The Reality of Habiba Abdul-Jabbar
Most people don't even know her birth name was Janice Brown.
She met the basketball star when he was still dominating the court at UCLA. This wasn't some Hollywood red carpet meet-cute. They met at a Lakers game, of all places, while she was still a high school student. At the time, she was actually dating an acquaintance of his. Life is funny like that.
By the time they got serious, Kareem was going through a total spiritual overhaul. He had converted to Islam, and Janice followed suit. She took the name Habiba, and on May 28, 1971, they tied the knot in a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
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It was a heavy time.
Kareem has been open about the fact that his religious mentor at the time, Hamaas Abdul-Khaalis, had a massive influence on who he married. In fact, Kareem’s own parents weren't even allowed inside the mosque for the wedding because they weren't Muslim. Imagine that. You’re the best basketball player on the planet, you’re getting married, and your parents are standing outside on the sidewalk. That’s the kind of pressure and conviction we're talking about here.
A Marriage Under the Microscope
The marriage lasted roughly seven years. On paper, it looks like a standard "early career" marriage, but the internal dynamics were anything but standard. They had three children together:
- Habiba Alcindor (who grew up to be a brilliant writer and activist)
- Kareem Jr. (who tried the basketball thing before moving into acting)
- Sultana
But by 1973, things were already fracturing. They actually separated quite early on, though the official divorce didn't finalize until 1978. During those years, Kareem was at the absolute peak of his powers with the Milwaukee Bucks and then the Lakers.
While he was perfecting the skyhook, his home life was essentially a long-distance arrangement. Habiba stayed mostly out of the spotlight. She didn't do the "Real Housewives" thing. She didn't seek the cameras. She focused on her career in fashion design and raising those three kids.
Life After the Divorce
Once the 1978 divorce was finalized, Kareem never married again.
It’s been nearly 50 years. Let that sink in. For a guy who could have had any socialite in Los Angeles during the "Showtime" era, he chose a different path.
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He didn't stop having a life, though. He had a long-term, high-profile relationship with Cheryl Pistono in the late 70s and 80s. She’s often credited with being the one who actually convinced him to reach out and reconcile with his parents after the wedding drama. They had a son, Amir, who became an orthopedic surgeon. Later, he had another son, Adam, with a woman named Julye Olds.
But a wife? No.
Why the confusion persists
If you Google kareem abdul jabbar wife today, you’ll find some weird, fake AI-generated "news" sites claiming he got married in 2019 or that he’s currently dating some secret celebrity. It’s all nonsense. Pure clickbait.
Kareem is a writer now. He’s a cultural critic. He spends his time thinking about big, systemic issues. He’s very close with his children, but the era of him having a "spouse" ended when Jimmy Carter was in the White House.
Honestly, it seems like he found a different kind of peace. He’s private. He’s "mysterious and enigmatic," as his daughter Habiba Jr. once put it.
What We Can Learn from Their Story
The biggest takeaway here isn't just about celebrity gossip. It’s about how much the world changed for Black athletes in the early 70s. Kareem wasn't just playing ball; he was trying to figure out his soul.
Habiba Abdul-Jabbar (the elder) remains a respected figure who successfully navigated being married to the most famous athlete in the world during a period of massive social upheaval. She didn't let the marriage define her entire existence. She got her degree from Oberlin College later in life and carved out her own identity.
Key takeaway for those researching this topic:
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- Only one marriage: Habiba (Janice Brown) is the only woman who has ever held the title of Kareem’s wife.
- Timeline: 1971–1978.
- Current status: Single/Unmarried publicly.
- Children: 5 total (3 with Habiba, 1 with Cheryl, 1 with Julye).
If you’re looking for a scandal, you won't find one here. You’ll just find two people who tried to make it work during a whirlwind of fame and faith, eventually realizing they were better off on separate paths.
To get the full picture of Kareem's evolution beyond his family life, it's worth reading his own essays on Substack. He talks a lot about his past, his regrets, and his growth. It's way more insightful than any tabloid headline.