IMAGINE how big a treat it would be if Shaquille O’ Neal or Tim Duncan would come to UST and conduct a basketball clinic. But a similar scenario already happened in the University 23 years ago.
NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. before he converted to Islam) held a rare basketball clinic at the UST Gym in 1981 with noted local coaches and basketball enthusiasts around Metro Manila.
Fresh from the Los Angeles Lakers’ 1980 NBA championship, the 7’2”, 252-pound center visited the University to hold the “Magnolia Longlife-Lipovitan Basketball Clinic.”
The four-day (July 18-21) clinic, however, was not open to all. Invitations were given to different Metro Manila high schools that sent four representative each—two actual participants and two observers who were either coaches, trainers or P.E. instructors. The clinic had 200 participants each session.
Abdul-Jabbar, whose name literally means “generous, powerful servant,” conducted the clinic together with his aide, Malik Abdul-Mansur.
During the clinic, the Lakers center stressed the importance of an athlete’s fitness, while demonstrating various exercises, particularly body-stretching. Abdul-Jabbar expounded on better offense and defense, while showing the proper way of dribbling, guarding, passing, and boxing out.
He also demonstrated the correct execution of the jumpshot, lay-up, and his signature “skyhook.”
The skyhook, a modified “hookshot,” was proven throughout NBA history as one of the most effective offensive weapons as it was difficult to defend against. The skyhook was greatly similar to the “hookshot” save for the briskness of its execution and its elegant form. Abdul-Jabbar afterwards sadvised short players to take advantage of the unstopabble shot.
Abdul-Jabbar eagerly interacted with the participants as he corrected their flaws by demonstrating proper execution.
Even when he was still in the US NCAA, Abdul-Jabbar had captured the limelight as league officials were forced to outlaw the dunk shot during the 1960’s because he was unstoppable with it. The dunk shot was allowed again only a few years after he turned professional.
Abdul-Jabbar was 42 when he left the NBA in 1989. In his 20-year career, he stacked an astounding compilation of feats—rookie of the year, six NBA championships, six NBA MVP awards, two NBA finals MVP awards, 19 All-Star games, and two seasons as scoring champion. Abdul-Jabbar was also named to the NBA’s 35th and 50th Anni-versary All-time Teams. With reports from www.nba.com
