Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, six-time NBA champion and the all-time leading scorer before LeBron James, is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in basketball history. A cornerstone of the “Showtime” Los Angeles Lakers and a cultural icon both on and off the court, his legacy is unmatched. The Lakers legend named who he believes is the greatest point guard of all time — and surprisingly, it’s neither Stephen Curry nor his former teammate Magic Johnson.
Many might have expected Abdul-Jabbar to name his longtime Lakers teammate Magic Johnson or modern-day superstar Stephen Curry. But in a 2023 interview with Justin Walters of New York’s WPIX-TV, the six-time MVP offered a different perspective.
“I don’t think you’re going to want to hear this,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “Oscar Robertson. The Big O. I only had the chance to play with him at the end of his career, but he was awesome.”
Robertson, a 12-time All-Star and former MVP, spent most of his 14-year career with the Cincinnati Royals before finishing his career with the Milwaukee Bucks—where he and a young Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, won the 1971 NBA championship together.
NBA Legend Oscar Robertson is honored during the 2024 NBA All-Star Game
A championship partnership in Milwaukee
Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were teammates during the early years of Kareem’s career, playing together in Milwaukee from 1970 to 1974. Though their time as teammates was relatively brief, it proved to be transformative for both players and for the Bucks franchise. Robertson, already established as one of the league’s premier point guards, brought leadership, poise, and elite playmaking that helped elevate a young Abdul-Jabbar into superstardom.
Their impact was immediate. In their first season together (1970–71), the Bucks dominated the league, finishing with a 66–16 record and capturing the NBA championship by sweeping the Baltimore Bullets in the Finals. Abdul-Jabbar, in just his second season, earned MVP honors, while Robertson—acquired via trade from Cincinnati—played the perfect complementary role with his floor generalship and veteran presence.
During their four seasons together, Robertson and Abdul-Jabbar led the Bucks to the playoffs every year, including another trip to the NBA Finals in 1974, where they fell in a hard-fought seven-game series against the Boston Celtics. Though they didn’t win another title, the duo firmly established Milwaukee as a powerhouse in the league. Abdul-Jabbar emerged as the NBA’s next generational superstar, while Robertson closed out his Hall of Fame career on a high note.
Their partnership was short-lived, but it left a lasting mark on NBA history. Abdul-Jabbar has repeatedly credited Robertson as a key influence in his development as a professional before he came to the Lakers, praising his intelligence, calm demeanor, and masterful control of the game. Together, they ushered in a new era—blending the promise of youth with the wisdom of experience in a way that still resonates in basketball lore.
