NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is currently recovering after being rushed to the Los Angeles hospital for a broken hip.
TMZ reports that Abdul-Jabbar’s rep, Deborah Morales, revealed the basketball star had been attending a Los Angeles show Friday, Dec. 15, when he fell and shattered his hip. First responders quickly arrived on the scene and took him to UCLA Hospital.
Morales told the media outlet that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is “deeply appreciative” of the support he received from the Los Angeles Fire Department on site. He also thanked the “amazing” medical team and doctor at UCLA Hospital who are taking care of him.
Although further details about Abdul-Jabbar’s condition remain undisclosed, it seems as though the basketball star will be ok. Along with the hip situation, the athlete has had other health struggles over the years. This includes his battle with prostate cancer in 2020 and chronic myeloid leukemia in 2008. In 2021, he was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation or AFib.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Spoke Out About His Heart Condition and the Importance of Early Detection of Atrial Fibrillation
While speaking to NIH MedlinePlus Magazine earlier this year, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar opened up about his current heart condition.
When asked about being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, Abdul-Jabbar admitted to dismissing his symptoms. These were shortness of breath, fatigue, and lightheadedness. “Over time, I experienced the symptoms more frequently, and they would interfere with activities that didn’t cause me any problems before, like walking through an airport.”
However, things took a turn when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar struggled to leave a Los Angeles Dodgers game in 2021. “[I] could not stand up without feeling so lightheaded that I thought I would collapse,” he observed. “I was eventually diagnosed with atrial fibrillation after my symptoms sent me to the hospital.”
Abdul-Jabbar also admitted that he was surprised by his diagnosis because he didn’t know what AFib even was. He also learned that AFib is the most common type of irregular heart rhythm that prevents the heart from filling completely or pumping enough blood. “Blood can pool in your heart, which increases your risk of forming blood clots and can lead to stroke and other heart-related complications.”
The basketball legend further pointed out those with AFib are at about a five times greater risk of stroke compared to the general population. Through his diagnosis, Abdul-Jabbar had to accept he couldn’t do everything he did before. “It’s scary knowing that AFib increases your risk of stroke, but that’s why it is so important to take your symptoms seriously and to speak with a health care professional.”