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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gives fans special, unique autographs at The National
The 43rd annual National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago featured more than 150 sports legends and Hall of Famers signing autographs at the TRISTAR Autograph Pavilion.
But none stood taller than NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The 7-2 center, a 19-time All-Star, six-time NBA champion and six-time league MVP, was the biggest draw at the record-setting National, which attracted the largest crowd in its 43-year history.
And the league’s second all-time leading scorer gave fans and autograph collectors a unique experience, signing his full name for the first time ever in public instead of “Abdul-Jabbar,” which had been his standard signature for decades. Though many fans asked, Abdul-Jabbar does not sign his former name, Lew Alcindor.
“He took his time, signing every letter [in his name], along with whatever inscriptions he was asked to sign,” said TRISTAR President and CEO Jeff Rosenberg. “It was an honor to be around him.”
Rosenberg was alongside Abdul-Jabbar from the moment he entered the venue until he left.
“The demand was amazing, which stood out. It was incredible being around him,” said Rosenberg, who scored some Abdul-Jabbar signatures on cards from his personal collection, including his 1969 Topps rookie card.
“One of the things that really stood out was watching the interaction. So many players came over to introduce themselves to Jabbar; that was phenomenal to see, such as Angel Reese, Marshawn Lynch, Anthony Edwards and so many others.”
Abdul-Jabbar was among more than a dozen NBA legends who signed autographs at the hobby’s largest show, including Julius Erving, Bob Love, Bob McAdoo, Walt Frazier, Joe Dumars, Dave Bing, Allen Iverson, Robert Parish, Kevin McHale and Dennis Rodman.
“The level of demand for all the players who [were signing at The National] was amazing,” Rosenberg said. “It wasn’t just high demand for three or four players. Demand exceeded the supply for so many of the athletes.”
