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124-620: The building, designed by architect Welton Becket , was dedicated in June 1965, named for University of California Regent Edwin W. Pauley , who had matched the alumni contributions. Pauley donated almost one fifth of the more than $ 5 million spent in constructing the arena. The arena was renovated in 2010–12 and was reopened on November 9, 2012, when it hosted a men's basketball game against Indiana State . Pauley Pavilion contains 11,307 permanent theater-style upholstered seats, plus retractable seats for 2,492 spectators (466 seats without backs used by

248-603: A "difficult person", alongside his attempts at trying to break into coaching while nearing the age of fifty, that affected his chances of becoming a head coach within the NBA or NCAA. Abdul-Jabbar worked as an assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers and the Seattle SuperSonics , helping mentor, among others, their young centers, Michael Olowokandi and Jerome James . Abdul-Jabbar was the head coach of

372-542: A 20.4 point average, the lowest of his career at the time. The Lakers advanced to the 1983 NBA Finals in a rematch against the 76ers, who had acquired Moses Malone to shore up their center position after Abdul-Jabbar had outplayed their big-man duo of Darryl Dawkins and Caldwell Jones in the previous finals. The 76ers swept the Lakers 4–0, and Malone was named the Finals MVP after outrebounding Abdul-Jabbar 72–30 in

496-411: A 7-footer instead of positioning. After the pounding he endured early in his career, his rebounding average fell to between six or eight a game in his latter years. As a teammate, Abdul-Jabbar exuded natural leadership and was affectionately called "Cap", or "Captain", by his colleagues. He had an even temperament, which Riley said made him coachable. A strict fitness regime made Abdul-Jabbar one of

620-575: A Bachelor of Architecture degree ( B.Arch. ). He moved to Los Angeles in 1933 and formed a partnership with his University of Washington classmate Walter Wurdeman and Angeleno architect Charles F. Plummer . Their first major commission was the Pan-Pacific Auditorium in 1935, which won them residential jobs from James Cagney , Robert Montgomery , and other film celebrities. Plummer died in 1939. The successor firm Wurdeman and Becket went on to design Bullock's Pasadena (1944) and

744-480: A cast of no-name free agents, the Lakers were projected to finished near the bottom of the Pacific Division in 1976–77 . Abdul-Jabbar helped lead the team to the best record (53–29) in the NBA, and he won his fifth MVP award, tying Bill Russell 's record. Abdul-Jabbar led the league in field goal percentage (.579), was third in scoring (26.2), and was second in rebounds (13.3) and blocked shots (3.18). In

868-407: A couple of corporate headquarters. Wurdeman and Becket developed the concept of "total design," whereby their firm would be responsible for master planning, engineering, interiors, furniture, fixtures, landscaping, signage, and even (in the case of restaurants) menus, silverware, matchbooks, and napkins. After Wurdeman's death in 1949, Becket formed Welton Becket and Associates and continued to grow

992-537: A flesh peddler, and I don't want to think like that." Alcindor's presence enabled the Bucks to claim second place in the NBA's Eastern Division with a 56–26 record (improved from 27–55 the previous year). On February 21, 1970, he scored 51 points in a 140–127 win over the SuperSonics. Alcindor was an instant star, ranking second in the league in scoring ( 28.8 ppg ) and third in rebounding ( 14.5 rpg ), for which he

1116-704: A genie in a lamp in a 1984 episode of Tales from the Darkside . He also played himself on the February 10, 1994, episode of the sketch comedy television series In Living Color . Abdul-Jabbar appeared in the television version of Stephen King 's The Stand , played the Archangel of Basketball in Slam Dunk Ernest , and had a brief non-speaking cameo appearance in BASEketball . Abdul-Jabbar

1240-566: A heavy emphasis on walls clad in natural stone, particularly travertine and flagstone . With The Walt Disney Company and the United States Steel Corporation , Becket's firm co-designed Disney's Contemporary Resort , which opened in 1971 at Walt Disney World Resort . The Contemporary was designed as a 14-story steel A-frame with a monorail running through the building. Modular guest rooms were assembled, finished, furnished, fully equipped and their doors locked, on

1364-400: A night, and it's like mowing a huge estate lawn. If you rush out and run around furiously, it's self-defeating. You'll be worn out just at the point when you're most needed." Abdul-Jabbar finished his career with then-NBA records of 20 seasons and 1,560 games played, later broken by former Celtics center Robert Parish . Abdul-Jabbar began wearing his trademark goggles after getting poked in

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1488-424: A perception of him being aloof and surly. At the time, his mentality was that he either did not have the time or did not owe anything to anyone. Magic Johnson recalled as a kid being brushed off after asking him for an autograph. Abdul-Jabbar might freeze out a reporter if they touched him, and he once refused to stop reading the newspaper while giving an interview. Abdul-Jabbar had spent most of his career with

1612-412: A reserved attitude towards media attention (since he did not have to deal with it as a star at UCLA) before he softened up near the end of his career. Abdul-Jabbar said: "I didn't understand that I also had affected people that way and that's what it was all about. I always saw it like they were trying to pry. I was way too suspicious and I paid a price for it." However, he believes it was his reputation as

1736-401: A scene in which a little boy looks at him and remarks that he is in fact Abdul-Jabbar, spoofing the appearance of football star Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch as an airplane pilot in the 1957 drama that served as the inspiration for Airplane! , Zero Hour! Staying in character, Abdul-Jabbar states that he is merely Roger Murdock, an airline co-pilot; the boy continues to insist that Abdul-Jabbar

1860-490: A slender giant, standing 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) tall while weighing around 240 to 250 lb (110 to 115 kg), although he bulked to 270 lb (120 kg) in 1986; in his early years, he used that frame for agility and speed while in later years he utilized a bigger frame for trying to guard under the basket. Abdul-Jabbar was famous for his ambidextrous skyhook shot. It contributed to his .559 career field goal percentage, which ranked eighth in NBA history at

1984-831: A victory over the New Jersey Nets (now Brooklyn) in the final game before the All-Star break . Abdul-Jabbar's play remained strong during the next two seasons, being named to the All-NBA Second Team twice, the All-Defense First Team once, and the All-Defense Second Team once. The Lakers, however, continued to be stymied in the playoffs, being eliminated by the Seattle SuperSonics in both 1978 (first round) and 1979 (semifinals). The Lakers selected Magic Johnson with

2108-609: A volunteer coach at Alchesay High School on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in Whiteriver, Arizona , in 1998. He moved on from coaching in 2013 after unsuccessfully lobbying for open head coach positions with UCLA and the Milwaukee Bucks. On offense, Abdul-Jabbar was a dominant low-post threat. In contrast to other low-post specialists like Wilt Chamberlain or Shaquille O'Neal , he was

2232-608: A yacht that said "Captain Skyhook" to framed jerseys from his career to a Persian rug. At the Forum against Seattle in his final regular season game, every Laker came onto the court wearing Abdul-Jabbar's trademark goggles. At the time of his retirement, Abdul-Jabbar held the record for most career games played in the NBA . He was also the all-time record holder for most field goals made (15,837) and most minutes played (57,446), as well as most points (38,387) until LeBron James broke

2356-467: Is "the greatest", but that according to his father he does not "work hard on defense" and that he does not "really try, except during the playoffs". This causes Abdul-Jabbar's character to snap and break character: "The hell I don't!" He then grabs the boy and snarls that he has "been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA" and been "busting my buns every night!" He instructs the boy: "Tell your old man to drag [Bill] Walton and [Bob] Lanier up and down

2480-651: Is an American former basketball player. He played professionally for 20 seasons for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins as a center . Abdul-Jabbar won a record six NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards. He was a 19-time NBA All-Star , a 15-time All-NBA Team member, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection. He

2604-491: Is erected at the half court line. The women's team uses blue and yellow Sport Court lined up perpendicularly to the basketball court tucked up to the east end of the court. There is a tunnel on the south side through which trucks and service vehicles may enter. This is also the "backstage" entrance for players, performers, and broadcast personnel. The floor is called "Nell and John Wooden Court" in honor of former UCLA Men's Basketball Coach John Wooden and his wife Nell. From

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2728-505: Is one banner for the women's basketball AIAW championship in 1978. There are 11 individual banners for the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship teams. There are two banners for volleyball, one for the 19 men's NCAA volleyball championships and one for the three NCAA women's volleyball championships and three AIAW championships . There are two banners for gymnastics, one for the two men's NCAA gymnastics champions and one for

2852-413: Is the third all-time in registered blocks (3,189), which is impressive because this basketball statistic was not recorded until the fourth year of his career (1974). He is one of five players who have led the NBA in rebounding and blocks in the same season. Abdul-Jabbar combined dominance during his career peak with the longevity and sustained excellence of his later years. A pioneer in using yoga in

2976-557: Is third all-time in both total rebounds (17,440) and blocked shots. ESPN named him the greatest center of all time in 2007, the greatest player in college basketball history in 2008, and the second best player in NBA history (behind Michael Jordan ) in 2016. Abdul-Jabbar has also been an actor, a basketball coach, a best-selling author, and a martial artist , having trained in Jeet Kune Do under Bruce Lee and appeared in his film Game of Death (1972). In 2012, Abdul-Jabbar

3100-403: The 2019–20 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team season, he still holds or shares a number of individual records at UCLA: He is represented in the top ten in a number of other school records, including season and career rebounds, second only to Bill Walton . The Globetrotters offered Alcindor $ 1 million to play for them, but he declined and was picked first overall in the 1969 NBA draft by

3224-513: The Arizona Wildcats before extensive renovations were scheduled to begin. Tyler Trapani, great grandson of Coach John Wooden and member of UCLA's team, fittingly scored the last goal in the old arena. The 1971 National Champions were honored at halftime. In 1982, the center court jump circle was replaced. It was later autographed by coach John Wooden and several former Bruins' players including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton. It

3348-635: The Astrodome . In a contest billed as the " Game of the Century ", Cougar forward Elvin Hayes scored 39 points and had 15 rebounds, while Alcindor, suffering from his eye injury, was held to just 15 points as Houston won 71–69, ending UCLA's 47-game winning streak. Hayes and Alcindor had a rematch in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament , where UCLA, with a healthy Alcindor, defeated Houston 101–69 en route to

3472-661: The Baltimore Bullets 4–0 in the 1971 NBA Finals . Alcindor posted 27 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in Game 4, and he was named the Finals MVP after averaging 27 points per game on 60.5% shooting in the series. During the offseason, Alcindor and Robertson joined Bucks head coach Larry Costello on a three-week basketball tour of Africa on behalf of the State Department . In a press conference at

3596-835: The Boston Celtics in seven games. Robertson, who became a free agent in the offseason, retired in September 1974 after he was unable to agree on a contract with the Bucks. On October 3, Abdul-Jabbar privately requested a trade to the New York Knicks , with his second choice being the Washington Bullets (now the Wizards) and his third, the Los Angeles Lakers . He had never spoken negatively of

3720-813: The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra performing Zappa's orchestral music. Zubin Mehta directed the orchestra in what would become the soundtrack for Zappa's movie 200 Motels . Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention recorded Just Another Band from L.A. at the Pauley Pavilion in 1971, and was released in 1972. In 1984, it was the Los Angeles venue for the 1984 Summer Olympics Men's and Women's gymnastics and Women's rhythmic gymnastics events. Mary Lou Retton became

3844-521: The Milwaukee Bucks , who were in only their second season of existence. The Bucks had won a coin toss with the Phoenix Suns for the first pick. He was also chosen first overall in the 1969 American Basketball Association draft by the New York Nets . The Nets believed that they had the upper hand in securing Alcindor's services because he was from New York; however, when Alcindor told both

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3968-518: The NBA's career scoring record in 1984, and held it until LeBron James surpassed him in 2023. Abdul-Jabbar was known as Lew Alcindor when he played at parochial high school Power Memorial in New York City, where he led their team to 71 consecutive wins. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins , winning three consecutive national championships under head coach John Wooden . Alcindor

4092-613: The Oklahoma Storm of the United States Basketball League in 2002, leading the team to the league's championship that season, but he failed to land the head coaching position at Columbia University a year later. He then worked as a scout for the New York Knicks . He returned to the Lakers as a special assistant coach to Phil Jackson for six seasons (2005–2011). Early on, he mentored their young center, Andrew Bynum . Abdul-Jabbar also served as

4216-454: The 200 level. The UCLA Varsity Band has also moved to accommodate seating changes. Originally, they were located on the north courtside directly across from the UCLA bench. In 1984, they moved to the northeast corner courtside. In 1990 they moved to the north courtside directly across from the visitors bench. In 1996 they moved to the north side above the student section. In 2003, they moved to

4340-494: The Bruins defeat the Arizona Wildcats 74–69 on March 2, 2013. When the floor seats are retracted, there is space for three full-sized basketball courts. These courts are used for team practice, intramural games, and pickup basketball games. It can also serve as a convention hall or large dining area when in this configuration. When used for men's volleyball , the basketball court is striped with colored tape. The volleyball net

4464-545: The Bruins needed a new arena; since 1955 the Men's Gym's capacity had been limited to 1,500 by order of the Los Angeles fire marshal. Games that were expected to attract larger crowds were played at Pan Pacific Auditorium , the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena and other venues around Los Angeles. Pauley Pavilion was constructed so that there would be some space between the crowds and the action on

4588-413: The Bucks acquired All-Star guard Oscar Robertson . Milwaukee went on to record the best record in the league with 66 victories in the 1970–71 season , including a then-record 20 straight wins . Alcindor was awarded his first of six NBA Most Valuable Player Awards , along with his first scoring title (31.7 ppg). He also led the league in total points, with 2,596. The Bucks won the NBA title, sweeping

4712-483: The Bucks and the Nets that he would accept only one offer from each team, he rejected the Nets' bid as too low. Sam Gilbert negotiated the contract along with Los Angeles businessman Ralph Shapiro at no charge. After Alcindor chose the Milwaukee Bucks' offer of $ 1.4 million, the Nets offered a guaranteed $ 3.25 million. Alcindor declined the offer, saying: "A bidding war degrades the people involved. It would make me feel like

4836-428: The Lakers clinched the title, and Johnson was named the Finals MVP after recording 42 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists in the finale. Abdul-Jabbar continued to average 20 or more points per game in the following six seasons. The Lakers won another championship in 1981–82 , but he suffered migraines in the finals , averaging just 18 points per game against Philadelphia. In 14 playoff games, he finished with

4960-404: The Lakers, behind Walton's skillful passing and timely plays. Two minutes into the opening game of the 1977–78 season , Abdul-Jabbar broke his right hand punching Milwaukee's Kent Benson in retaliation to the rookie's elbow to his stomach. Benson suffered a black right eye and required two stitches. According to Benson, Abdul-Jabbar initiated the elbowing, but there were no witnesses and it

5084-502: The NBA Most Valuable Player twice in his first three years. In 1974, Abdul-Jabbar led the Bucks to their fourth consecutive Midwest Division title, and he won his third MVP Award in four years. He was among the top five NBA players in scoring (27.0 ppg, third), rebounding (14.5 rpg, fourth), blocked shots (283, second), and field goal percentage (.539, second). Milwaukee advanced to the 1974 finals , losing to

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5208-497: The NBA, he also credited Bruce Lee with teaching him "the discipline and spirituality of martial arts, which was greatly responsible for me being able to play competitively in the NBA for 20 years with very few injuries". Abdul-Jabbar played in 95 percent of his team's regular-season games during his career, including 80 or more games in 11 of his 20 seasons. Five times he played in all 82 games. After claiming his sixth and final MVP in 1980, he continued to average above 20 points in

5332-528: The Pistons in a four-game sweep in his final season. After winning Game 7 of the 1988 finals, the 41-year-old Abdul-Jabbar announced in the locker room that he would return for one more season before retiring. His points, rebounds, and minutes had dropped in his 19th season, and there were reports prior to the game that he was retiring after the contest. On his "retirement tour" he received standing ovations at games, both home and away, and gifts ranging from

5456-527: The State Department on June 3, 1971, he stated that going forward he wanted to be called by his Muslim name, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, its translation roughly "noble one, servant of the Almighty [i.e., servant of God ]". Abdul-Jabbar remained a dominant force for the Bucks. The following year, he repeated as scoring champion ( 34.8 ppg and 2,822 total points) and became the first player to be named

5580-476: The UCLA Daily Bruin , "UCLA initially announced the project Jan. 11, 2007, when it hoped to have construction completed by legendary basketball coach John Wooden’s 100th birthday, Oct. 14, 2010. Since that announcement, the project has moved slowly, as UCLA has sought to raise funds for the project." The cost of the renovation was once estimated to be $ 110 million, but now a final estimate will await

5704-513: The UCLA Bruin Democrats. In 1994, composer Henry Mancini , having learned he had terminal cancer , gave his last concert at Pauley Pavilion. In 2009, UCLA Spring Sing made its Pauley Pavilion return on May 8, having switched from the smaller Los Angeles Tennis Center to this much larger venue due to its popularity and overwhelming demand. On February 26, 2011, the Bruins hosted their last men's basketball home game against

5828-409: The UCLA single-game record held by Gail Goodrich . He averaged 29 points per game during the season and led UCLA to an undefeated 30–0 record and a national championship, their third title in four years. After the season, the dunk was banned in college basketball in an attempt to curtail his dominance; critics dubbed it the "Alcindor Rule". It was not rescinded until the 1976–77 season. Alcindor

5952-675: The United States, stating that he was "trying to point out to the world the futility of winning the gold medal for this country and then coming back to live under oppression." As the NBA did not allow college underclassmen to make an early NBA draft declaration , Alcindor completed his studies and earned a Bachelor of Arts with a major in history in 1969. In his free time, he practiced martial arts. He studied aikido in New York between his sophomore and junior year before learning Jeet Kune Do under Bruce Lee in Los Angeles. As of

6076-467: The Year award three times. He had considered transferring to Michigan because of unfulfilled recruiting promises. UCLA player Willie Naulls introduced Alcindor and teammate Lucius Allen to athletic booster Sam Gilbert , who convinced the pair to remain at UCLA. During his junior year, Alcindor suffered a scratched left cornea on January 12, 1968, in a game against California (UC Berkeley) when he

6200-445: The ball on made baskets, and had him wait at the opposite end of the court on free throws. In what he described as playing a "smarter game" to conserve energy, Abdul-Jabbar sometimes would be the last player to set up on offense by several seconds after staying behind on defense to see if the Lakers scored on a fast break . In 1981, he responded to criticism that he did not hustle: "You have to understand I have to play 42 to 45 minutes

6324-408: The band and students), making a total basketball capacity of 13,800. The capacity prior to the renovation (12,829) had been exceeded several times for several men's basketball games by adding portable seating alongside the retractable seats. The Bruins reopened the newly renovated Pauley Pavilion on November 9, 2012, in front of a record crowd of 13,513. Then a new record was set when 13,727 fans watched

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6448-528: The building, despite the fact UCLA teams have won many tournaments and basketball championships in the Pac-12 Conference and its predecessor conferences. Former Bruin point guard, New Jersey Nets , LA native and former Los Angeles Lakers player Jordan Farmar described the rationale for this during the Bruins' 2005 Final Four run, by stating, "[a]t UCLA, only national championship banners go up." The men's banners are blue with gold lettering, while

6572-594: The city of Milwaukee or its fans, but he said that being in the Midwest did not fit his cultural needs. Two days later in a pre-season game before the 1974–75 season against the Celtics in Buffalo, New York , Abdul-Jabbar caught a fingernail in his left eye from Don Nelson and suffered a corneal abrasion ; this angered him enough to punch the backboard stanchion, breaking two bones in his right hand. He missed

6696-588: The completion of the renovation, Pauley Pavilion hosted the NCAA women's gymnastics championships on April 19–21, 2013 and the NCAA men's volleyball championships on May 2 & 4, 2013. In recent years, the newly renovated Pauley Pavilion has hosted many campus-wide events. In 2013, UCLA's annual Spring Sing organized by the Student Alumni Association was held in this arena. Bruins from all areas of campus performed on stage and truly exemplified

6820-423: The condition. Abdul-Jabbar was well known for his trademark skyhook, a hook shot in which he raised the ball and released it at the highest point of his arm's arching motion. He could shoot the skyhook from up to 16 feet (4.9 m). With his long arms and great height, he released the ball so high that it was difficult for a defender to block without committing a goaltending violation. His body being between

6944-893: The court for 48 minutes." When Murdock loses consciousness later in the film, he collapses at the controls wearing Abdul-Jabbar's goggles and yellow Lakers' shorts. In 2014, Abdul-Jabbar and Airplane! co-star Robert Hays (character Ted Striker) reprised their Airplane! roles in a parody commercial promoting Wisconsin tourism. Abdul-Jabbar has had numerous other television and film appearances, often playing himself. He has had roles in movies such as Fletch , Troop Beverly Hills and Forget Paris , and television series such as Full House , Living Single , Amen , Everybody Loves Raymond , Martin , Diff'rent Strokes (his height humorously contrasted with that of diminutive child star Gary Coleman ), The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , Scrubs , 21 Jump Street , Emergency! , Man from Atlantis , and New Girl . Abdul-Jabbar played

7068-578: The court. Wooden cited the example of the close quarters of Cal's Harmon Gym (now Haas Pavilion ) where fans would "pull leg hairs from his players' legs". Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , then known as Lew Alcindor, was recruited to UCLA partly on the promise of playing in the new arena. The venue has been used for the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards . It first held the KCAs in 1995, then in 1998 and 1999, then from 2004 to 2010. When renovations began in 2011,

7192-402: The defender and the ball made it further difficult to block, as did extending his non-shooting arm to fend off opponents. He was stronger shooting the skyhook with his right hand than he was with his left, which he developed in his later years. According to Abdul-Jabbar, he learned the move in fifth grade after practicing with the ambidextrious Mikan Drill and soon learned to value it, as it

7316-466: The development of the architectural plans. The Daily Bruin article also noted "a 2012 completion date is now most likely," with UCLA basketball games having to move off-campus for one year. Exterior work began in 2010, with interior construction following the 2010-2011 basketball season. The university unveiled the Pauley Pavilion renovation plans to the public and kicked off the fund-raising campaign on May 11, 2009, at Pauley. The groundbreaking ceremony

7440-415: The dunk was banned. In his final college years, he often released the ball several feet above the rim . Abdul-Jabbar won a record six MVP awards. His 38,387 career points remained the NBA's career scoring record until February 7, 2023, when he was surpassed by LeBron James of the Lakers in Los Angeles. Abdul-Jabbar attended the game, and passed the game ball to James during the in-game ceremony after

7564-542: The eye during preseason in 1974. He continued wearing them for years until abandoning them in the 1979 playoffs. He resumed wearing goggles in October 1980 after being accidentally poked in the right eye by Houston 's Rudy Tomjanovich . After years of being jabbed in the eyes, Abdul-Jabbar developed corneal erosion syndrome , occasionally experiencing pain when his eyes dry up. He missed three games in December 1986 due to

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7688-478: The firm to the extent that it was one of the largest architectural offices in the world by the time of his death in 1969. In 1987, his firm was acquired by Ellerbe Associates, and the merged firm continued as Ellerbe Becket until the end of 2009, when it was acquired by AECOM . It is now known as Ellerbe Becket, an AECOM Company. Becket's buildings used unusual facade materials such as ceramic tile and stainless steel grillwork, repetitive geometric patterns, and

7812-553: The first 16 games of the season, during which the Bucks were 3–13, and returned in late November wearing protective goggles. On March 13, 1975, sportscaster Marv Albert reported that Abdul-Jabbar requested a trade to either New York or Los Angeles, preferably to the Knicks. The following day after a loss in Milwaukee to the Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar confirmed to reporters his desire to play in another city. He averaged 30.0 points during

7936-694: The first 25 years of the arena. The primary criteria for being chosen was that all four players were three-time All-Americans. The initial honorees were: Pauley Pavilion has been the venue for many other sports championships, concerts, commencement ceremonies and political events. Concert performers have included Bob Marley , Bad Religion , Bob Dylan , Diana Ross & the Supremes , Joni Mitchell , Van Morrison , Bob Hope , Frank Sinatra , Luciano Pavarotti , Eric Clapton , The Grateful Dead , Phish , Guns N' Roses , Metallica , and Faith No More , among others. In 1970, Frank Zappa appeared with

8060-511: The first Olympic gymnast outside of Eastern Europe ever to have won the Olympic all-around title. On April 26, 1986, a birthday tribute for actress/comedian Carol Burnett was held inside. Singer Neil Diamond performed " Sweet Caroline " in her honor. Two years later in 1988, it was the site of a presidential election debate between George H. W. Bush and Michael Dukakis . Dukakis also held his final election -eve rally here, hosted by

8184-836: The first ever NBA player to sign a sneakers endorsement deal with Adidas in 1978. He went on to become the first ever player overall with a signature shoe shortly after. In 2014, UCLA Bruins wore "The Blueprint" Crazy 8 against Colorado on Feb. 13, and the shoes were sold online and at an Adidas store in New Orleans —during NBA All-Star weekend—starting on Feb. 14. Playing in Los Angeles facilitated Abdul-Jabbar's trying his hand at acting. He made his film debut in Bruce Lee 's 1972 film Game of Death . In 1980, Abdul-Jabbar played co-pilot Roger Murdock in Airplane! He has

8308-548: The first overall pick of 1979 NBA draft . They had acquired the pick from the New Orleans Jazz (later Utah) in 1976, when league rules required that they compensate Los Angeles for their signing of free agent Gail Goodrich . The addition of Johnson paved the way for the Lakers' Showtime dynasty of the 1980s, appearing in the finals eight times and winning five NBA championships. While less dominant than in his younger years, Abdul-Jabbar reinforced his status as one of

8432-423: The five NCAA women's gymnastics champions . The volleyball and gymnastics banners list all the years in which Bruin teams were NCAA or National champions. The retired numbers of UCLA men's and women's basketball players are displayed in the rafters of Pauley Pavilion. On February 3, 1990, the first four UCLA basketball player jersey numbers were retired. This was the key moment in the "Pauley at 25" celebration of

8556-653: The following six seasons, including 23 points per game in his 17th season at age 38. He earned first-team All-NBA selections that were 15 years apart and Finals MVPs 14 seasons from each other. Among the most graceful basketball players ever, Abdul-Jabbar is regarded as one of the best centers ever and one of the greatest players in NBA history; he was voted the best center of all time by ESPN ahead of Wilt Chamberlain in 2007, and ranked No. 4 in Slam ' s "Top 100 Players Of All-Time" in 2018, and No. 3 in ESPN's list of

8680-424: The greatest basketball players ever, adding an additional four All-NBA First Team selections and two All-Defense First Team honors. He won his record sixth MVP award in his first season with Johnson in 1979–80 . In the 1980 finals , Abdul-Jabbar averaged 33.4 points in five games, spraining his ankle in Game 5, but returning to finish the contest with 40 points and leading the team to a win. He missed Game 6, when

8804-799: The ground, then lifted by crane and inserted into the frame; however, this sometimes took multiple tries. Welton Becket was elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1952. Becket's sons, Welton MacDonald Becket & Bruce Becket, are also practicing architects, as well as his nephew MacDonald G. Becket and granddaughter Alexandra Becket. Becket's extensive list of credits includes: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar As head coach: As assistant coach: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ( / k ə ˈ r iː m æ b ˈ d uː l dʒ ə ˈ b ɑːr / kə- REEM ab- DOOL jə- BAR ; born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. ( / æ l ˈ s ɪ n d ər / al- SIN -dər ); April 16, 1947)

8928-463: The inaugural game at the Bruins' new Pauley Pavilion . The 1965–66 varsity team was the two-time defending national champions and the top-ranked team in preseason polls. The freshman team won 75–60 behind Alcindor's 31 points and 21 rebounds . It was the first time a freshman team had beaten the UCLA varsity squad. The varsity had lost Gail Goodrich and Keith Erickson from the championship squad to graduation, and starting guard Freddie Goss

9052-421: The league in rebounding (16.9), blocked shots (4.12), and total minutes played (3,379). His 1,111 defensive rebounds remains the NBA single-season record (defensive rebounds were not recorded prior to the 1973–74 season ). He earned his fourth MVP award, becoming the first winner in Lakers' franchise history, but missed the post-season for the second straight year as the Lakers finished 40–42. After acquiring

9176-542: The league's top scorers. In 1975, he was traded to the Lakers, with whom he played the final 14 seasons of his career, during which time the team won five NBA championships. Abdul-Jabbar's contributions were a key component in the Showtime era of Lakers basketball. Over his 20-year NBA career, his teams reached the playoffs 18 times and got past the first round 14 times; his teams reached the NBA Finals ten times. At

9300-668: The most durable players of all time. He began a year-around conditioning program at age 26. While in Los Angeles, Abdul-Jabbar started doing yoga in 1976 to improve his flexibility, and was notable for his physical fitness regimen. He said: "There is no way I could have played as long as I did without yoga." Because of his metabolism, he had difficulty putting on weight. Prior to the 1979–80 season, he gained 10 pounds (4.5 kg) from 240 to 250 pounds (110 kg) after switching from free weights to Nautilus equipment. He also switched that offseason from tai chi to yoga. To reduce wear during his later years, Riley did not have him inbound

9424-426: The national championship. UCLA limited Hayes, who was averaging 37.7 points per game, to only ten points. Wooden credited his assistant Norman for devising the diamond-and-one defense that contained Hayes. Sports Illustrated ran a cover story on the game and used the headline: "Lew's Revenge: The Rout of Houston." As a senior in 1968–69 , Alcindor led the Bruins to their third consecutive national title. During

9548-400: The north side of the bleachers. The press move to the north side in 1987 was as controversial as the 2003 move, in that the student section was now behind the press table and big donors had taken the south side courtside seats. The student section has moved several times as well. Since 2014, the student section occupies the 100 level south side seats, as well as the west corner with overflow in

9672-506: The numbers don't lie, then Kareem is the greatest ever to play the game." In 2013, Julius Erving said: "In terms of players all-time, Kareem is still the number one guy. He's the guy you gotta start your franchise with." In 2015, ESPN named Abdul-Jabbar the best center in NBA history, and ranked him No. 2 behind Michael Jordan among the greatest NBA players ever. While Jordan's shots were enthralling and considered unfathomable, Abdul-Jabbar's skyhook appeared automatic, and he himself called

9796-610: The on-campus John Wooden Center . Pauley Pavilion was renovated and opened for the UCLA men's basketball season in 2012. Welton Becket Welton David Becket (August 8, 1902 – January 16, 1969) was an American modern architect who designed many buildings in Los Angeles, California . Becket was born in Seattle, Washington and graduated from the University of Washington program in Architecture in 1927 with

9920-582: The opening of the building until 1987, the extra press not involved in the radio or television broadcasts sat behind the south side (team bench side) press table. The working press then moved to sit courtside at "press row" on the northern side of the court, as the south courtside seats were opened up to influential and affluent boosters. In 2003, the UCLA Athletic Department made available north side courtside seats to affluent donors. The media now sit higher up in permanent seating dead-center in

10044-691: The playoffs, the Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals, setting up a confrontation with the Portland Trail Blazers . The result was a memorable matchup, pitting Abdul-Jabbar against a young, injury-free Bill Walton . Although Abdul-Jabbar dominated the series statistically, Walton and the Trail Blazers (who were experiencing their first-ever run in the playoffs) swept

10168-518: The previous NBA record for seasons played of 16, held by Dolph Schayes , John Havlicek , Paul Silas , and Elvin Hayes . Prior to the 1986–87 season , he gained 13 pounds (5.9 kg), reaching close to 270 pounds (120 kg), to compete against the growing number of 7-footers (2.1 m) in the league. The Lakers advanced to the NBA Finals in each of his final three seasons, defeating Boston in 1987, and Detroit in 1988. The Lakers lost to

10292-401: The record in 2023. In 1995, Abdul-Jabbar began expressing an interest in coaching and imparting knowledge from his playing days. His opportunities were limited despite the success he enjoyed during his playing days. During his playing years, Abdul-Jabbar had developed a reputation for being introverted and sullen. He was often unfriendly with the media. His sensitivity and shyness created

10416-407: The record was broken. Abdul-Jabbar held the scoring mark for nearly 39 years, the longest span in league history. His skyhook is considered one of the most unstoppable shots ever. He won six NBA championships and two Finals MVP awards, was voted to 15 All-NBA and 11 All-Defensive Teams, and was selected to 19 All-Star teams, a record which stood until it was surpassed by James in 2024. Abdul-Jabbar

10540-408: The season, but Milwaukee finished in last place in the division at 38–44. In 1975, the Lakers acquired Abdul-Jabbar and reserve center Walt Wesley from the Bucks for center Elmore Smith , guard Brian Winters , blue-chip rookies Dave Meyers and Junior Bridgeman , and cash. In the 1975–76 season , his first with the Lakers, he had a dominating season, averaging 27.7 points per game and leading

10664-500: The series against Boston. He was initially outplayed in Game 1, scoring 12 points with three rebounds against 30-year-old Celtics center Robert Parish , who had 18 points and eight rebounds in a 148–114 win over the Lakers, dubbed the "Memorial Day Massacre". At the team's film session the following day, Abdul-Jabbar—who normally sat near the back—was seated in the front row, and accepted all of head coach Pat Riley 's criticism. Before Game 2, Abdul-Jabbar asked if his father could ride on

10788-405: The series. Malone had 27 offensive rebounds, which nearly equaled Abdul-Jabbar's total rebounds (30). On the road against Utah on April 5, 1984, Abdul-Jabbar broke Chamberlain's record for most career points in the NBA . He received a pass from Johnson and scored from 15 feet (4.6 m) on his patent skyhook over the 7-foot-4-inch (2.24 m) shot-blocking specialist Mark Eaton . The game

10912-401: The shot "unsexy". In 2016, Abdul-Jabbar's only recognized rookie card became the most expensive basketball card ever sold (the record has since been surpassed) when it went for $ 501,900 at auction. In 2022, he was ranked No. 3 (first in his position) in ESPN's NBA 75th Anniversary Team list, and No. 3 (behind Jordan and James) in a similar list by The Athletic . Abdul-Jabbar was also

11036-606: The show was moved to the Galen Center . From 2014 to 2017, it became the venue for the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports, a spin-off to the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. The KCSs then moved to Barker Hangar for 2018 and 2019. The only championship banners that are currently displayed within the building are for national or NCAA Championships. Unlike most schools, there are neither conference championship banners nor other tournament championship banners displayed in

11160-539: The student "den" section. The student section would have been moved from the traditional courtside seats to an area behind the basket. However, after action by alumni and an on-campus student vote, the proposed change was reverted. After Pauley's closure for renovation, the 2011-12 Bruins men's basketball team played their home games off-campus at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena and the Honda Center . Women's basketball and other Pauley Pavilion teams played at

11284-475: The summer of 1968, Alcindor took the shahada twice and converted to Sunni Islam from Catholicism . He adopted the Arabic name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, though he did not begin using it publicly until 1971. He boycotted the 1968 Summer Olympics , deciding not to try out for the U.S. Olympic basketball team , who went on to win the gold medal. Alcindor was protesting the unequal treatment of African Americans in

11408-418: The talent and spirit of the UCLA community. The Pediatric Aids Coalition hosts their 26-hour Dance Marathon in Pauley Pavilion as well, which raised $ 445,019.18 for Pediatric AIDS research in 2014, $ 446,157.05 in 2015, and $ 446,253.60 in 2016. The court was significantly flooded after a 30-inch water main burst on Sunset Boulevard and water started spewing in on July 29, 2014. On May 1–5, 2018, Pauley Pavilion

11532-505: The team bus to the game. Typically a hard-liner on rules, Riley agreed to make an exception. Abdul-Jabbar bounced back with 30 points, 17 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks in a 109–102 victory. In the Lakers’ four wins, he averaged 30.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.0 blocks. The title ended the Celtics' streak of eight consecutive championships against the Lakers. Abdul-Jabbar played in his 17th season in 1985–86 , breaking

11656-444: The time of his retirement at age 42 in 1989, Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA's regular season career leader in points (38,387), games played (1,560), minutes (57,446), field goals made (15,837), field goal attempts (28,307), blocked shots (3,189), defensive rebounds (9,394), and personal fouls (4,657). He remains the all-time leader in minutes played and field goals made. He ranks second in career points and field goal attempts, and

11780-487: The time of his retirement, and reputation as a feared clutch shooter. He shot above 50% in every season but his last. Abdul-Jabbar maintained a dominant presence on defense. He was selected to the NBA All-Defensive Team eleven times. He frustrated opponents with his superior shot-blocking ability and denied an average of 2.6 shots a game. He was not an aggressive rebounder, relying more on his size as

11904-437: The top 74 NBA players of all time in 2020, the best center ever ahead of Bill Russell and Chamberlain. League experts and basketball legends frequently mentioned him when considering the greatest player of all time. Riley said in 1985: "Why judge anymore? When a man has broken records, won championships, endured tremendous criticism and responsibility, why judge? Let's toast him as the greatest player ever." In 2023, as James

12028-677: The west side of the arena to be courtside. Before the construction of the Pavilion, the on-campus home to the UCLA Bruins men's basketball team was the 2,400-seat Men's Gym , currently known as the Student Activities Center, but then disparagingly known as the " B. O. barn." After John Wooden led the Bruins to the national championship in 1964, fans and Wooden felt that a more suitable arena needed to be constructed. However, it had been obvious even before then that

12152-547: The women's banners are gold with blue lettering. In 1985 UCLA won the NIT and promptly hung an NIT championship banner among the 10 existing NCAA championship banners. This banner remained in the rafters until 1995, when the Bruins won the NCAA title again and replaced the NIT banner with their 11th NCAA championship banner. During the 2012 renovation, replicas were created for some of the older banners, which were different sizes. The original banners were then sold at an auction. There

12276-447: Was 22 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (57 cm) long. Always very tall for his age, he was already 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) by the age of nine. Alcindor was often depressed as a teenager because of the stares and comments about his height. By the eighth grade (age 13–14), he had grown to 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) and could already dunk a basketball. Alcindor began his record-breaking basketball accomplishments when he

12400-481: Was "the only shot I could use that didn't get smashed back in my face". He also watched Cliff Hagan shoot the hook with the St. Louis Hawks . To prevent his hook from being blocked from behind, he was advised by Wooden to do away with the typical sweeping motion of a hook shot, instead keeping the ball close to his body and shooting with a straighter motion. Abdul-Jabbar's hook shot improved in his junior year at UCLA, after

12524-509: Was a member of six NBA championship teams as a player and two more as an assistant coach, and was twice voted the NBA Finals MVP . He was named to three NBA anniversary teams ( 35th , 50th , and 75th ). Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, he has been called the greatest basketball player of all time by many of his contemporaries such as Pat Riley , Isiah Thomas , and Julius Erving . Abdul-Jabbar broke

12648-465: Was a record three-time most outstanding player of the NCAA tournament . Drafted with the first overall pick by the one-season-old Milwaukee Bucks franchise in the 1969 NBA draft , he spent six seasons with the team. After leading the Bucks to their first NBA championship at age 24 in 1971, he took the Muslim name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Using his trademark skyhook shot, he established himself as one of

12772-631: Was a three-time national player of the year (1967–1969), a three-time unanimous first-team All-American (1967–1969), played on three NCAA basketball champion teams ( 1967 , 1968 , and 1969 ), was honored as the Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Tournament three times, and became the first-ever Naismith College Player of the Year in 1969. He was the only player to win the Helms Foundation Player of

12896-411: Was acquired by a private party and consigned to a sports memorabilia auction where it sold May 1, 2011 for $ 325,085, the most ever paid for a piece of college basketball memorabilia. Almost every year since its inception, the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards were held inside the arena until the renovations in 2011. It was replaced by Kids Choice Sports Awards in 2014 and been held since then. Following

13020-415: Was also the co-executive producer of the 1994 TV film The Vernon Johns Story . He has also made appearances on The Colbert Report in a 2006 skit called "HipHopKetball II: The ReJazzebration Remix '06", and in 2008 as a stage manager who is sent out on a mission to find Nazi gold. Abdul-Jabbar also voiced himself in a 2011 episode of The Simpsons titled " Love Is a Many Strangled Thing ". He had

13144-488: Was awarded the title of NBA Rookie of the Year . In the series-clinching game against the Philadelphia 76ers , he recorded 46 points and 25 rebounds. He was the second rookie to score at least 40 points and 25 rebounds in a playoff game, the first being Wilt Chamberlain . He also set an NBA rookie record with 10 or more games of 20+ points scored during the playoffs, tied by Jayson Tatum in 2018. The next season,

13268-724: Was born in North Carolina but came to Harlem as part of the Great Migration . Ferdinand Sr. was the child of immigrants from Trinidad ; his uncle was the Black activist and medical pioneer Dr. John Alcindor . Alcindor grew up in the Dyckman Street projects in the Inwood neighborhood of Upper Manhattan , which he moved to at the age of 3 in 1950. At birth, Alcindor weighed 12 lb 11 oz (5.75 kg) and

13392-506: Was going to be black rage personified, Black Power in the flesh", he said. Alcindor was not able to play professionally in the NBA out of high school. At the time, the league only accepted players beginning with the year that they could have hypothetically graduated from college. His other options to play basketball professionally would have been to join the Harlem Globetrotters or play overseas. However, Alcindor's goal

13516-420: Was held a year later on May 11, 2010. By that time, Wooden was in failing health and could not attend; he died three weeks later, at age 99. The last men's basketball game before Pauley was closed for renovation was UCLA's 71–49 victory over Arizona . The last basket of that game was scored by the Bruins' Tyler Trapani, Coach John Wooden's great-grandson. Controversy emerged due to the newly announced location of

13640-422: Was in high school, where he led coach Jack Donohue 's Power Memorial Academy team to three straight New York City Catholic championships, a 71–game winning streak, and a 79–2 overall record. This earned him "The Tower from Power" nickname. His 2,067 total points were a New York City high school record. The team won the national high school boys basketball championship when Alcindor was in 10th and 11th grade and

13764-406: Was named to the NBA's 35th , 50th , and 75th anniversary teams . He averaged 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.6 blocks per game in his career, including three straight seasons where he averaged at least 30 points and 16 rebounds, and six times he averaged at least 27 points and 14.5 rebounds in the same season. He is ranked as the NBA's third leading all-time rebounder (17,440). He

13888-436: Was not captured on replays. Abdul-Jabbar, who broke the same bone in 1975 after he punched the backboard support, was out for almost two months and missed 20 games. He was fined a then-league record $ 5,000 but was not suspended. Benson missed one game but was not punished by the league. The Lakers were 8–13 when Abdul-Jabbar returned. He was not named to the 1978 NBA All-Star Game , the only time in his 20-year career he

14012-513: Was not selected to an All-Star Game. Chicago's Artis Gilmore and Detroit's Bob Lanier were chosen as reserves for the West, with Walton starting at center. Amid criticism from the media over his performance, Abdul-Jabbar had 39 points, 20 rebounds, six assists and four blocks in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers the day the All-Star rosters were announced. He added 37 points and 30 rebounds in

14136-522: Was on the verge of breaking the NBA career scoring record, Abdul-Jabbar remained as Riley's choice as the greatest: "We don't win championships without the greatest player in the history of the game, who had the greatest weapon in the history of the game. The skyhook was unstoppable. Last minute of the game, it's going to one guy". As president of the Miami Heat , Riley had won two NBA titles with James on their roster. Isiah Thomas remarked: "If they say

14260-487: Was out sick. After the game, UPI wrote: "UCLA's Bruins open defense of their national basketball title this week, but right now they're only the second best team on campus." The freshman team was 21–0 that year, dominating against junior college and other freshman teams. Alcindor made his varsity debut as a sophomore in 1966 and received national coverage. Sports Illustrated described him as "The New Superstar" after he scored 56 points in his first game, which broke

14384-602: Was played at the Thomas & Mack Center , one of 11 home games for the Jazz in the Las Vegas Valley that season. The contest drew 18,389 fans, the Jazz's largest home crowd since moving from New Orleans before the 1979–80 season. Abdul-Jabbar won his second Finals MVP in 1985 , when he became the oldest to win the award at 38 years and 54 days old. He averaged 25.7 points, 9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.5 blocks in

14508-402: Was relegated to the freshman team in his first year with the Bruins, as freshman were ineligible to play varsity until 1972. The freshman squad included Lucius Allen , Kenny Heitz , and Lynn Shackelford , who were fellow high-school All-Americans . On November 27, 1965, Alcindor made his first public performance in UCLA's annual varsity–freshman exhibition game, attended by 12,051 fans in

14632-526: Was runner-up his senior year. He had a strained relationship in his final year with Donohue after the coach called him a nigger . Alcindor wrote for the Harlem Youth Action Project newspaper. The Harlem riot of 1964 , which was prompted by the fatal shooting of 15-year old black boy James Powell by a New York police officer, triggered Alcindor's interest in racial politics. "Right then and there, I knew who I was, who I had to be. I

14756-521: Was selected by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to be a U.S. global cultural ambassador . In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom . Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. was born in Harlem , New York City , the only child of Cora Lillian, a department store price checker, and Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr., a transit police officer and jazz musician. Cora

14880-420: Was struck by Tom Henderson in a rebound battle. He missed the next two games against Stanford and Portland . His cornea would again be scratched during his pro career, which subsequently caused him to wear goggles for eye protection. On January 20, the Bruins faced coach Guy Lewis 's Houston Cougars in the first-ever nationally televised regular-season college basketball game, with 52,693 in attendance at

15004-532: Was the host for the 2018 NCAA Men's National Collegiate Volleyball Tournament . Long Beach State defeated the Bruins in 5 sets to win its second national title since 1991. Both the 2022 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Volleyball Tournament and the 2022 NCAA Men's National Collegiate Volleyball Tournament will be held at Pauley Pavilion on April 20–23, 2022 and May 1–7, 2022 respectively. As Pauley Pavilion

15128-504: Was the main contributor to the team's three-year record of 88 wins and only two losses: one to the University of Houston in which Alcindor had an eye injury, and the other to crosstown rival USC who played a "stall game"; there was no shot clock in that era, allowing the Trojans to hold the ball as long as it wanted before attempting to score. They limited Alcindor to only four shots and 10 points. During his college career, Alcindor

15252-408: Was to attend college. Recruited by hundreds of schools, he was the most sought-after prospect since Wilt Chamberlain . Southern teams that were segregated were willing to break the color line to acquire Alcindor. He chose to attend the University of California, Los Angeles , after being recruited by Bruins assistant coach Jerry Norman . By now 7-foot-1-inch (2.16 m) tall, Alcindor

15376-409: Was turning 40 years old, talk intensified about a possible major renovation of the facility. Narrowness of the concourses for spectators to walk around the arena, limited food services and restrooms, the lack of luxury boxes, and a floor configuration that keeps some seating sections distant from the floor have been cited by various observers as areas needing improvement. According to a 2008 article in

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