Kareem Abdul-Jabbar faces 3 months of recovery after surgery for broken hip

NEW DELHI: Basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is on the road to recovery following surgery for a broken hip sustained during a concert in Los Angeles. His business partner and spokeswoman, Deborah Morales, confirmed the surgery was successful and without complications. Abdul-Jabbar, aged 76, is expected to spend the next three months in recovery.The incident occurred during a Manhattan Transfer concert at Disney Concert Hall on Friday night. Abdul-Jabbar posted on his Substack account, humorously stating, “Hard for me to accept that a once world-class athlete just stumbled. But age is the great equalizer and humbles us all.” He mentioned having hip replacement surgery, a procedure undertaken by many Americans annually.Scheduled to read a letter from Vice President Kamala Harris during the concert, Abdul-Jabbar expressed regret for missing the opportunity. Despite the setback, he added humor, saying, “Come for the music, stay for the klutzy fall.”A renowned figure in basketball, Abdul-Jabbar played a pivotal role in the Los Angeles Lakers’ “Showtime” era, securing five NBA championships in the 1980s. The Lakers' Magic Johnson wished him a speedy recovery on social media.Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA’s career scoring leader for 39 years until LeBron James surpassed him in February. Giannis Antetokounmpo recently surpassed him as the Milwaukee Bucks’ career rebounding leader. Abdul-Jabbar, known as Lew Alcindor during his college years at UCLA, had a stellar career, marked by numerous accolades, including six NBA MVP awards.In 2020, Abdul-Jabbar revealed he had prostate cancer, and in 2009, he disclosed a diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukemia. The recent injury adds to his journey of overcoming health challenges, emphasizing his resilience and enduring legacy.(With AP inputs)