Most people know the skyhook. They know the six NBA rings, the 38,387 points that stood as a record for decades, and the stoic, 7-foot-2 presence that defined the Los Angeles Lakers. But if you walk into a bookstore and head past the sports section, you’ll find something else entirely. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar isn't just a retired athlete who "wrote a book." He’s a prolific, obsessed, and genuinely skilled author who has published over a dozen works ranging from Victorian mystery to heavy-hitting social commentary.
Honestly, it’s a bit surreal.
Imagine one of the greatest athletes to ever live sitting down to co-author a series of Sherlock Holmes novels. It sounds like a gimmick, right? It’s not. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar books are remarkably dense, well-researched, and often more interested in 19th-century history than they are in a basketball court. If you’ve only seen him in Airplane! or highlights from the 80s, you’re missing the most interesting part of his second act.
The Mycroft Holmes Series: A Slam Dunk for Sherlockians
One of the most surprising turns in Kareem’s writing career is his foray into fiction. He didn't just write a generic thriller. He went deep into the Holmesian canon. Along with co-writer Anna Waterhouse, Kareem created a trilogy centered not on Sherlock, but on his older, smarter, and more politically powerful brother, Mycroft.
The first book, Mycroft Holmes (2015), introduces us to a young, 23-year-old Mycroft fresh out of Cambridge. It’s set in 1870 and moves from the stuffy offices of London to the island of Trinidad. This is where Kareem’s personal history bleeds into the pages; his own family roots are in Trinidad, and he uses that knowledge to paint a vivid, often brutal picture of the colonial era.
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The sequels, Mycroft and Sherlock (2018) and Mycroft and Sherlock: The Empty Birdcage (2019), continue this evolution. These aren't just "detective stories." They are explorations of sibling rivalry, race, and the moral rot of the British Empire. Kareem and Waterhouse don't shy away from the fact that Victorian London was a multicultural hub—a reality often erased in older literature. They introduce Cyrus Douglas, a Black merchant from Trinidad who becomes Mycroft’s closest ally and, arguably, the moral compass of the series.
Memoirs That Do More Than Recount Stats
When most athletes write a memoir, it’s a chronological list of games, locker room pranks, and a few "inspirational" quotes. Kareem doesn't do that. His autobiographical work is much more interested in the "why" than the "how many."
- Giant Steps (1983): This was his first major autobiography. Written while he was still playing, it’s a raw look at his conversion to Islam and his feelings about American racial politics. The title is a nod to John Coltrane, reflecting Kareem’s lifelong obsession with jazz.
- Becoming Kareem (2017): This one is aimed at younger readers but doesn't talk down to them. It chronicles the transformation from Lew Alcindor to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It focuses on his "coaches" in life—not just John Wooden, but figures like Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee.
- Coach Wooden and Me (2017): This is arguably his most emotional book. It’s a 50-year retrospective on his relationship with the legendary UCLA coach. It’s a story of two men from vastly different worlds—a conservative white man from the Midwest and a radicalized Black man from Harlem—who found a way to love and respect each other until Wooden’s death.
The Historian and Social Critic
Kareem’s most impactful work often lives in the realm of non-fiction and history. He has a way of finding the "lost" stories of American history and dragging them into the light.
In Black Profiles in Courage (1996), he highlights figures like Estevanico and James Armistead Lafayette—people who were essential to the American story but were left out of the textbooks he read as a kid. He followed this up with Brothers in Arms (2004), which tells the grueling story of the 761st Tank Battalion, an all-Black unit in WWII that fought through Europe while facing systemic racism from their own government.
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His recent work, We All Want to Change the World (2025), is a massive look at the history of protest in America. He doesn't just talk about the Civil Rights movement; he links it to the Free Speech movement, women’s liberation, and LGBTQ+ rights. He argues that protest isn't a "disturbance" of American life—it is American life.
A Quick Look at the Bibliography
If you're looking to start reading, here is the basic roadmap of the essential Kareem Abdul-Jabbar books:
- The Fiction (Mycroft Holmes Series): Start with Mycroft Holmes, then Mycroft and Sherlock, and finish with The Empty Birdcage.
- The Life Stories: Giant Steps is the classic, but Coach Wooden and Me is the heart of his legacy.
- The History Lessons: Black Profiles in Courage and What Color Is My World? (the latter is great for kids).
- The Social Commentary: Writings on the Wall and his latest, We All Want to Change the World.
Why These Books Still Matter
Kareem isn't writing for the sake of his ego. He’s writing because he thinks we’re forgetting things. He’s obsessed with the idea that "history is written by the winners" and that this version of history is often a lie.
When you read his work, you realize he’s using his platform to do the heavy lifting that schools often skip. Whether it's through a graphic novel like Champion (2025) or a deep-dive essay on his Substack, he’s trying to bridge the gap between sports culture and intellectual life.
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It’s easy to dismiss a celebrity author. It’s much harder to dismiss a guy who can quote Sherlock Holmes, discuss the nuances of the Harlem Renaissance, and break down the "Pyramid of Success" in the same breath. Kareem's books aren't just for Laker fans. They are for people who want to understand the complexities of the American identity through the eyes of someone who has seen it from every possible angle—from the heights of the podium to the front lines of a protest.
To get the most out of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar books, you should start with Coach Wooden and Me if you want to understand the man, or Mycroft Holmes if you want to see his imagination at work. Both will give you a much better perspective on why he’s more than just a guy with a great jump shot.
Pick up a copy of Mycroft Holmes at your local library or independent bookstore to see how he reinvents the Victorian mystery. If you're interested in the intersection of sports and social justice, his 2025 release We All Want to Change the World provides the most current context for today's political climate.