Kareem

Arguably the best player in basketball history, undeniably its highest scorer, Abdul-Jabbar (born Lew Alcindor) made sports headlines from his high-school days in New York City until his retirement last spring as the captain of the Los Angeles Lakers. Here he reviews his life to date with the able assistance of McCarthy ( Women Coming of Age ), reprising some of the material in his earlier book, Giant Steps , but concentrating on his final season, a triumphal tour of all the NBA cities. The former star writes of his heroes--among them Jackie Robinson and UCLA coach John Wooden--opponents he has faced, like Larry Bird, such teammates as Magic Johnson, and the problems created by racial discrimination for blacks in general and black athletes in particular. Photos not seen by PW. Author tour. (Apr.)