Abdul-Jabbar playfully downplayed his injury in a Substack post.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the renowned basketball legend, is currently recuperating from a hip fracture surgery following an unfortunate fall at a concert in Los Angeles. Fortunately, the surgery went smoothly without any complications, as confirmed by Deborah Morales, his business partner and spokesperson. In a text message to The Associated Press, Morales mentioned that Abdul-Jabbar will require a recovery period of three months.
Abdul-Jabbar was present at the Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles on Friday night for the Manhattan Transfer’s concert when he ended up getting injured. Prompt paramedic response led to the 76-year-old being transported to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center by ambulance.
In a post on his Substack account on Monday, Abdul-Jabbar jokingly remarked, “I wish I could say I had a heroic fall while attempting to save a child from falling off the balcony, but I simply tripped.” He acknowledged the irony of a former world-class athlete stumbling, attributing it to the universal humbling effect of aging.
Abdul-Jabbar further shared that he underwent hip replacement surgery, a procedure undergone by about 450,000 Americans annually. Prior to his fall, he was set to read a letter from Vice President Kamala Harris to the renowned vocal group, the Manhattan Transfer, as they celebrated their 50th anniversary before their final performance.