We have seen numerous players whom we can categorize as ‘NBA royalty’. One player who belongs in that conversation will be the one and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He has played for the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks during his illustrious career. With that said, there have been reports of the legend’s health deteriorating over the years. This includes the rumors that Kareem might have cancer as well.
A while ago, Kareem wrote on WebMD and spoke about the issues he faced with his health and wellness. He revealed that he had to undergo various surgeries and urged the rest of the world to be vigilant when it comes to their health.
What type of cancer does Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have?
Abdul-Jabbar mentioned that he had to deal with prostate cancer, and leukemia, and had to undergo heart bypass surgery as well. He mentioned, “I’ve had prostate cancer, leukemia, and heart bypass surgery. I’ve been fortunate because my celebrity has brought me enough financial security to receive excellent medical attention. No one wants an NBA legend dying on their watch.”
For those who may not understand what prostate cancer is, it is when the prostate gland’s cells begin to grow without any control. There are a few types of prostate cancers, but it is not known to the world what type Kareem had. Apart from that, he sadly had to deal with the effects of leukemia as well. This is also another disease and happens when too many white blood cells are produced by the bone marrow.
Kareem had to deal with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, the disease he was diagnosed with in 2008. The Tower also claimed that he was only able to get exceptional medical attention because he was a celebrity. Unfortunately, this has been the reality in the world, as prostate cancer and leukemia are two of the diseases that take away millions of lives in a year.
Take it from @kaj33 and @PCFnews, prostate cancer is treatable if you take steps to know your risk. To learn more about how you and your loved ones can be proactive about prostate health, visit https://t.co/vJdpOXrW0N. pic.twitter.com/NiTDRkl49G
— NBA (@NBA) June 20, 2021
He also mentioned that both his sons were excellent medical professionals, which made it easier for him to go through what he did. As he let the world know about what he went through, the former Lakers star also raised awareness about the Black Lives Matter (BLM) campaign.
With that said, it looks like Kareem has made a recovery from his health complications. He had to experience a quadruple coronary bypass surgery on April 16th, 2015 (his 68th birthday) and made a full recovery from cancer. It looks like he’s a fighter on the court and off it as well.