"I thought I might be dead in a few months" - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on getting diagnosed with leukemia

“I thought I might be dead in a few months” – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on getting diagnosed with leukemia originally appeared on Basketball Network.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, born in 1947, is nearing 80. Despite that advanced age, he still seems to be going strong. Basketball fans should appreciate that, not just for his longevity, but because one story about the sports icon shows how quickly it can all end.

In 2011, the Hall of Famer shared his reaction to a leukemia diagnosis — news that hit like a thunderbolt.

Fearing the worst

In November 2009, Abdul-Jabbar revealed he was diagnosed with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia, a blood and bone marrow cancer.

The two-time Finals MVP said he had received the devastating news in December 2008. While shocking on its own, it hit harder because of memories of his close friend Bruno Kirby.

The actor, known for “When Harry Met Sally…” and “Good Morning, Vietnam,” died from leukemia complications in August 2006, “within 30 days” of his diagnosis, Kareem recalled.

Of course, every case is different, and disease progression varies. Still, the Los Angeles Lakers legend admitted he instantly feared the worst when he received the same diagnosis, mainly because he “really had no understanding” of what he was dealing with.

“I thought I might be dead in a few months,” said Abul-Jabbar, per ESPN.

Kareem’s battle

Fast forward to 2011, Kareem took to X (formerly Twitter) with hopeful news: he was cancer-free — a statement he later corrected.

“You’re never really cancer-free and I should have known that,” he said. “My cancer right now is at an absolute minimum… It’s not life-threatening at this point in my life.”

Following a similar approach to former superstar teammate Magic Johnson’s powerful handling of his HIV diagnosis, Abdul-Jabbar faced his own illness head-on.

For instance, the New York native became a spokesperson for Novartis, makers of Gleevec, the drug that transforms chronic myeloid leukemia into a manageable condition and boosts survival rates.

“Medical science has made great strides over the last 20 years,” Kareem noted. “People in my position are able to live their lives to the fullest. I’m very grateful for that. I’m lucky that they caught it in enough time, and I’ve responded well to the medication. If not for the success that medicine has made, I might be part of a much different story right now.”

It wasn’t the only time cancer challenged him.

In 2020, Abdul-Jabbar revealed he’d been diagnosed with prostate cancer eleven years earlier. And while he fought it again, the now 78-year-old didn’t forget those in the same fight.

Kareem acknowledged that as an NBA star, he had access to top-tier medical care — something many in the Black community lack.

“While I’m grateful for my advantages, I’m acutely aware that many others in the Black community do not have the same options and that is my responsibility to join with those fighting to change that,” he wrote, per Good Morning America. “Because Black lives are at risk. Serious risk.”

Abdul-Jabbar was always the vocal leader in the Showtime Lakers locker room — a voice he clearly hasn’t lost, even with adversity testing him time and again.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 20, 2025, where it first appeared.

“I thought I might be dead in a few months” – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on getting diagnosed with leukemia

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