Editing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (section)

====Rookie of the Year (1969–1970)====
[[File:Wes Unseld and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.jpeg|thumb|180px|Alcindor displaying the skyhook over [[Wes Unseld]] of the [[Baltimore Bullets (1963–73)|Baltimore Bullets]]. The shot was almost impossible to block.]]
The Globetrotters offered Alcindor $1 million to play for them, but he declined and was [[List of first overall NBA draft picks|picked first overall]] in the [[1969 NBA draft]] by the [[Milwaukee Bucks]], who were in only their second season of existence. The Bucks had won a coin toss with the [[1969–70 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] for the first pick. He was also chosen first overall in the 1969 [[American Basketball Association]] draft by the [[1969–70 New York Nets season|New York Nets]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.databasebasketball.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=NYN&lg=A&yr=1969 |title=New York Nets (1968–1975) 1969 Stats, History, Awards and More |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518082053/http://www.databasebasketball.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=NYN&lg=A&yr=1969 |archive-date=May 18, 2015 }}</ref> The Nets believed that they had the upper hand in securing Alcindor's services because he was from New York; however, when Alcindor told both the Bucks and the Nets that he would accept only one offer from each team, he rejected the Nets' bid as too low. Sam Gilbert negotiated the contract along with Los Angeles businessman Ralph Shapiro at no charge.<ref name="SAMCAGERS"/><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1082281/2/index.htm|url-status=dead|title=Scorecard|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=April 7, 1969|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224115501/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1082281/2/index.htm|archive-date=December 24, 2013|access-date=April 17, 2022}}</ref> After Alcindor chose the Milwaukee Bucks' offer of $1.4 million, the Nets offered a guaranteed $3.25 million. Alcindor declined the offer, saying: "A bidding war degrades the people involved. It would make me feel like a flesh peddler, and I don't want to think like that."<ref>{{cite news |title=Alcindor Rejects A.B.A.'s $3.2-Million Offer and Will Sign With Bucks |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 30, 1969 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1969/03/30/archives/alcindor-rejects-abas-32million-offer-and-will-sign-with-bucks-ucla.html|access-date=April 17, 2022}}</ref>

Alcindor's presence enabled the [[1969–70 Milwaukee Bucks season|Bucks]] to claim second place in the NBA's Eastern Division with a 56–26 record (improved from 27–55 the previous year). On February 21, 1970, he scored 51 points in a 140–127 win over the SuperSonics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197002210MIL.html|title=Seattle SuperSonics vs Milwaukee Bucks Box Score, February 21, 1970
|website=Basketball Reference|access-date=March 24, 2020}}</ref> Alcindor was an instant star, ranking second in the league in scoring ([[List of National Basketball Association top rookie scoring averages|28.8 ppg]]) and third in rebounding (14.5 rpg), for which he was awarded the title of [[NBA Rookie of the Year]].<ref name="greatath"/> In the series-clinching game against the [[1969–70 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]], he recorded 46 points and 25 rebounds.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197004030MIL.html|title=Philadelphia 76ers at Milwaukee Bucks Box Score, April 3, 1970|publisher=Basketball-Reference|access-date=March 24, 2020}}</ref> He was the second rookie to score at least 40 points and 25 rebounds in a playoff game, the first being [[Wilt Chamberlain]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/top-10-nba-players-with-the-most-ppg-during-a-rookie-season-wilt-chamberlain-was-a-scoring-god-since-his-first-season/ar-AAR84SQ |title=Top 10 NBA Players With The Most PPG During A Rookie Season: Wilt Chamberlain Was A Scoring God Since His First Season |website=MSN Sports |date=November 25, 2021 |access-date=December 9, 2021 }}</ref> He also set an NBA rookie record with 10 or more games of 20+ points scored during the playoffs, tied by [[Jayson Tatum]] in 2018.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jayson Tatum's rookie season ranks alongside best in Celtics' history|date=June 18, 2018|work=Sporting News|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/nba/news/nba-jayson-tatums-rookie-season-best-in-celtics-history-bill-russell-larry-bird/1ozxh6qf4joje1g1b9fleinaze|access-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref>