What college sophomore was close to Wilt Chamberlain, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee? What former pro athlete has written a Sherlock Holmes mystery? What basketball hero played in only four losing games between ninth grade, and their first week as a pro? The answer for all of these = Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

SYNOPSIS:

From Hooks To Books- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Has Reached Lofty Goals Since Childhood

Six Degrees Of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is told in six parts:

1) Harlem & High School 2) LewCLA 3) Miracle In Milwaukee 4) Back To Cali 5) The Martial Artist 6) Skywriter

In part one we meet not only Kareem's parents, but learn of his ancestry in both Part Two brings Lew Alcindor to UCLA after recruitment by Jackie Robinson, Arthur Ashe and Dr. Ralph Bunche. His jazz record collection grows, he expands his mind through late night rap sessions in his dorm, and books about Islam and about Malcolm X, and the NCAA bans the dunk shot largely in response to his dominance. Despite that measure, it is his mind that gets him invited to The Ali Summit.

Our third episode opens with a coin flip that awards Alcindor to the expansion Milwaukee Bucks, as culturally far from Harlem or L.A. as it was geographically. His basketball dominance continues, he announces his name change, and he experiences personal tragedies away from the game.

Back To Cali covers Kareem's return to Los Angeles as a player, when the Magic happens. Kareem makes movies, guests on sitcom and does commercials- still a superstar throughout the 1980's.

The Martial Artist looks at Kareem's friendship with Bruce Lee, their clash in the movie Game Of Death, and the role his study of combat sports played in his strength, flexibility and longevity as an athlete. This episode broadens an understanding of Kareem's appreciation for the balance of mind and body.

In the concluding episode Skywriter, Kareem's lifelong passion for literature is explored. Since his teens, he has contributed to school newspapers, Harlem youth publications, national magazines, and written books, op eds and feature articles. Though Kareem has never been able to escape the public spotlight due to his physical stature and athletic gifts, as an only child, he has always lived just as compelling an internal, introspective life. Via his journey, we also see the story of the U.S. from the day Jackie Robinson broke into the major leagues, through today.

Six Degrees Of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the first production to explore every element of Harlem's Renaissance Man. Its varied take on a unique life, bears appeal for jazz aficionados, martial arts enthusiasts, film buffs, sports fans, and those interested in social justice, issues of faith, and in the 1960's. Entertaining anecdotes and insight from Billy Crystal, Nate Archibald, Mike Warren, Oscar Robertson, Nelson George, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Bill Walton, Wesley Snipes, Magic Johnson and Pam Grier add color to the story. The series also features authorities in jazz, Caribbean studies, indigenous culture, martial arts and Harlem history. In Kareem's triumphs and tragedies, there's something for everyone, and every generation.