On This Day in Sports: March 20, 1990
On March 20, 1990, the Los Angeles Lakers retired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s No. 33, raising it to the Forum rafters less than a year after his final game. The ceremony honored a center whose career joined unmatched longevity with one of basketball’s most reliable shots. By retirement, Abdul-Jabbar had accumulated championships, awards and scoring totals that defined the outer limits of NBA achievement.
Abdul-Jabbar arrived in Los Angeles in 1975 after beginning his professional career with Milwaukee. His signature skyhook could be released above defenders from either side of the lane, making it difficult to block and efficient even as his athleticism changed. With Magic Johnson directing the Showtime offense, Abdul-Jabbar adapted from unquestioned centerpiece to veteran anchor while remaining capable of decisive postseason performances.
His résumé at the ceremony included six Most Valuable Player awards, six NBA championships and 38,387 career points, then the league record. He had also set marks for games and minutes played. The Lakers’ retirement placed No. 33 alongside the franchise’s growing collection of championship symbols, recognizing that their 1980s success depended on both spectacular transition play and a center whose standards had been formed in an earlier era.
LeBron James eventually passed Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring total in 2023, but the skyhook, six MVP awards and two decades of production preserve his distinct place in the sport. Milwaukee later retired the same number, linking both franchises to his career. The March ceremony marked the moment Los Angeles converted a recently completed playing record into permanent institutional memory above the court. The tribute remains central to franchise history.
Abdul-Jabbar played his final NBA game in 1989.
The Lakers raised No. 33 to the Forum rafters.
His skyhook became one of basketball’s most durable signature shots.
He won six MVP awards and six NBA championships.
He retired with a then-record 38,387 points.
Both the Lakers and Bucks retired his number.
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