Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1995 Hall of Fame Induction Ring

The Collection of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,

Private Collector

Sotheby's is proud to present Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 1995 Basketball Hall of Fame Induction Ring. Abdul-Jabbar was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, after one of the greatest careers in NBA history.

The lot is accompanied by a signed letter of authenticity from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Going Deeper | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

A native of New York City, Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor) rose to national prominence at Power Memorial High School. During his high school years, his teams went 95-6 and won three consecutive New York City Catholic League championships. Alcindor was named a High School All-American all three years and ultimately received an offer to play for John Wooden at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). 

After becoming eligible for varsity as a sophomore, Alcindor led the Bruins to three successive NCAA titles in 1967-1969, during which time UCLA lost only two total games. In addition, he was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player on all three occasions. 

After being selected with the 1st overall pick in the 1969 NBA draft, Alcindor spent the first six seasons of his career with the Milwaukee Bucks. His dominance at the high school and collegiate levels immediately translated to the professional ranks. In only his second season, he led the Bucks to the franchise’s first NBA title in 1971.

But the Bucks failed to reach the mountaintop for the next four years and Abdul-Jabbar (he officially changed his name in 1971) requested a trade. He was ultimately dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975 which helped set the stage for the ‘Showtime’ era. 

By the time of his retirement in 1989, Abdul-Jabbar had played 20 NBA seasons. His career accolades include the 1969-70 Rookie of the Year, a league-record six MVPs, two Finals MVPs, and 19 All-Star Game appearances. In 2022, he was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team as one of the league’s 75 greatest players. He was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 1995.