Kareem and Bruce Lee Relationship

 7-Foot-2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Said 'Martial Arts Won't Work on My Size' Bruce Lee — Only 4 Witnessed

Los Angeles, California. Bruce Lee's Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute, Chinatown. 628 College Street, September 1967. Saturday afternoon, 2:00, second floor walk up, narrow stairs, wooden floors worn smooth by footwork drills, mirrors on one wall, heavy bag in corner, simple equipment, a working school for serious training.

 Bruce Lee is 26, 57, 135, teaching regularly, building reputation slowly. The Green Hornet is on television, but most income comes from private students, movie stars, martial artists, people seeking real training. Today, someone different is coming. Karim Abdul Jabar, still called Lu Alsynor, won't change his name until 1971, but everyone knows him.

 Greatest college basketball player in America. 7 f' 2 in dominant UCLA center. Led them to national championship. Unstoppable. Kareem is 20. Studying history at UCLA. Interested in philosophy, martial arts. He's heard about Bruce Lee from a mutual friend. Heard Bruce teaches something different, not just fighting, philosophy, movement, efficiency.

 Kareem wants to learn. Bruce waits with three senior students, four people total. They know someone tall is coming. But when the door opens and Kareem ducks to enter, reality hits differently. Kareem is enormous. 72. When he straightens, his eyes are level with the top of Bruce's head. 19 in of height difference.

 Bruce stands, walks forward, extends his hand. Lou, welcome. I'm Bruce Lee. Kareem shakes. Bruce's hand disappears in Kareem's grip. Kareem bends down significantly just to make eye contact. Bruce gestures to the floor. Please sit. Let's talk first. They sit on wooden chairs. Even sitting, Kareem is taller. His knees are higher than Bruce's shoulders...

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