Kareem Abdul-Jabbar quit the game for the most traditional reason. Because he’d become woefully, painfully, majestically old. The Lakers celebrated his career in 1988–89, Kareem’s twentieth and final season. He was fêted and showered with gifts before road games. He sat imperially, often in a rocking chair that had been dragged to center court, as testimonials were given. Some consider Abdul-Jabbar the best to ever play—more dominant than Michael, Kobe, or LeBron. The people who think this tend to be the people who truly know basketball.
