"Most of the people who dunk are Black athletes" - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar saw the NCAA's no-dunk rule as racially motivated

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, formerly known as Lew Alcindor, was a phenomenon on the basketball court from the moment he stepped foot onto it. The same was the case during his collegiate run with the UCLA Bruins, when Kareem utilized his 7’2″ frame to dominate opponents, dunking on everyone in his path.

As a result, NCAA authorities issued a no-dunk rule following the Bruins’ win over Dayton in the 1967 championship game—’Cap’ finished the contest with 20 points and 18 rebounds. Kareem was so incensed by this decision that he saw racial overtones behind it. But instead of letting it hinder his dominance, the legendary big man used it as motivation to add the most unguardable shot in basketball history to his offensive arsenal.

Kareem was agitated with no-dunk rule

Despite dunking being a highlight-reel staple today, collegiate basketball had a dunking ban in place from 1967 to 1977.

Moreover, this prohibition was particularly felt by towering figures, and Kareem voiced his disdain over it by claiming how it not only curbed his dominance but also hindered the progress of other black athletes.

“To me, the new ‘no-dunk’ rule smacks a little of discrimination,” Abdul Jabbar said. “When you look at it… most of the people who dunk are Black athletes.”

Jabbar embraced his iconic skyhook

To counter the no-dunk rule, Abdul-Jabbar went back to a shot he used throughout his childhood – the skyhook. Though head coach John Wooden was initially skeptical about the center using it as his go-to move, Jabbar’s mastery and stronghold ultimately convinced him otherwise.

“I think he (Wooden) just saw that I could put it in regularly. It was a high-percentage shot,” Kareem explained. “He just told me to adjust where I shot it on the court so that I could be in a good position on the court. Take advantage of other bigs.”

Despite a slight dip in his scoring average from 29.0 points per game in his sophomore year to 26.2 and 24.0 in his junior and senior years, respectively, Kareem remained a dominant force. Employing the unstoppable skyhook, he led the Bruins to two more championships, showcasing his ability to reign supreme over his opponents with a different approach.

Although the skyhook theoretically provided defenders with a chance to block his shots, the 19-time All-Star emphatically stated that no player, regardless of their height or wingspan advantage, had ever successfully done it.

“Manute Bol was [five] inches taller than me,” Kareem said. “And I shot a number of them on him and made them without him blocking it.”

Dunking is a common occurrence in today’s basketball. Meanwhile, no one uses the move that made Abdul-Jabbar one of the most unstoppable offensive forces in NCAA and NBA history.