ABU DHABI // During much of his 20-year career in professional basketball, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was broadly, if not charitably, characterised as enigmatic.
That was perhaps the kindest term ascribed to the 7ft 2in centre, one of the most dominant players in National Basketball Association history. He set a cluster of league records, but was a runaway league leader in another category, one he now regrets.
Abdul-Jabbar not only dominated the sport for two decades, but was also its most inaccessible player, withdrawn and media shy – making the reinvention of his public image all the more remarkable. He dominated the sport for two decades, mostly while wearing a trademark set of goggles to protect his eyes. But they might as well have been dark sunglasses, given that few knew him personally.
Retired as a player since 1989, he has a morphed into a genuine public figure, developed a cultural conscience and become a media bon vivant, with eight books, magazine credits and a slew of television appearances on his resume.
This week, Abdul-Jabbar served as the frontman of a new healthy living campaign involving the Imperial College London Diabetes Centre, which has a clinic in Abu Dhabi, in its fight to stop the escalation of the disease in the region. The Arabian Gulf has one of the highest diabetes rates in the world.
Not long ago, asking Abdul-Jabbar, now 67, to voluntarily stand before the bright camera lights and a table filled with microphones would have provoked little more than an icy stare. Perhaps he was a bit misunderstood after all, since he is clearly making up for lost time.
“I think people were wrong about me all along, but I made my path difficult by being unwilling to engage,” Abdul-Jabbar said on Thursday.
He is paying it forward now.
Abdul-Jabbar’s career dates to an uncertain social period in the United States, and his decision to convert to Islam in 1968 was the source of much wonderment and confusion among fans. Given the explosive racial undercurrent in the US at the time, it was understandable that he became defensive about his religion.
“I certainly would have handled it differently, in that I would have taken more time to explain myself,” he said. “I changed my name and just told everybody: ‘Look, I’m Muslim, don’t ask me any questions.’ That was not wise.
“You have to take the time to explain things and make people feel comfortable with why you do things. I certainly had the ability to do that, and didn’t take the opportunity. In that sense, I missed an opportunity.”
He even had to explain his decision to his parents, which was difficult. He was named after his father, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr, a New York policeman. Abdul-Jabbar would become one of the most famous Muslim athletes in sports history, perhaps second only to Muhammad Ali, but it was a controversial decision.
“I changed my name because I wanted to have an Islamic identity,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “I felt that the name I was born with was the result of the slave trade, and it was not something I was proud of. I love my family and did not want to reject them.
“I explained it to my parents. I didn’t just tell them, ‘take it or leave it’. I tried to explain because they were concerned.I don’t know how happy they were, but when they saw that it was something I really wanted to do, and that it was sincere in my heart, they tried to accommodate me.”
Whereas his decision to change religions decades ago was greeted mostly by curiosity, Abdul-Jabbar senses that the western views of Islam have changed since the attacks on 9/11, and not for the better.
“People now look at Islam in a different way,” he said. “Moderate Muslims and Muslims who do not believe in murder and anarchy, they have to stand up and make a statement ... I don’t know if they are doing enough. I’d really have to look at that.
“Certainly, the world has not gotten any friendlier to Muslims, and that, again, is a result of all the fanaticism and chaos.”
Before he became a bridge-building healthy living emissary, Abdul-Jabbar blazed trails in other areas, too. In an era before year-round fitness became a n occupational necessity for pro athletes, Abdul-Jabbar discovered yoga. He began meditating while still in high school, then began taking classes in 1970, after he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He met Bikram Choudhury, an instructor with several famous clients.
It was a decision that is at the core of Abdul-Jabbar’s healthy-living mantra.
“He got me doing postures, and that really lengthened my career and enabled me to play very well until the end of my career,” Abdul-Jabbar said.
“It was a real challenge, going to class and seeing all these women, and it was so easy for them. You get jealous and want to learn how to do it.”
Aside from yoga and basketball, he also took lessons from martial-arts movie star Bruce Lee, which helped his flexibility, another of his career-extending attributes. Martial arts are a huge part of the sports picture in the UAE.
“Martial arts helped me in that it made me understand that I needed to be prepared for what I would encounter – and that’s trouble,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “But I applied that to my job, also. Working with Bruce was wonderful, because he was all about being in shape and being prepared for whatever you would encounter. I took those lessons to heart.”
While enrolled at the University of California at Los Angeles, Abdul-Jabbar played for John Wooden, the most successful college coach in basketball history. Wooden, who died in 2010 at the age of 99, was just as renowned for the messages he imparted to players that had little to do with the sport.
“I don’t know if it was like playing for Yoda, but it was a great experience,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “He was a very wise man, and he taught us how to be great athletes, but he also taught us how to be great husbands, fathers and good citizens. He wanted us to educate ourselves and do good things in the world. I will always have a place in my heart for him.He was an extraordinary human being.”
That similar terms might someday be used to describe Abdul-Jabbar’s crusade to stem the global diabetes tide speaks volumes about the reclamation of his public persona.
“Diet and exercise are the keys to longevity and healthy living,” he said. “If that message gets across in the UAE, then I have done my job.”
selling@thenational.ae
We Weren’t Supposed to Survive But We Did
We weren’t supposed to survive but we did.
We weren’t supposed to remember but we did.
We weren’t supposed to write but we did.
We weren’t supposed to fight but we did.
We weren’t supposed to organise but we did.
We weren’t supposed to rap but we did.
We weren’t supposed to find allies but we did.
We weren’t supposed to grow communities but we did.
We weren’t supposed to return but WE ARE.
Amira Sakalla
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EClara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPatrick%20Rogers%2C%20Lee%20McMahon%2C%20Arthur%20Guest%2C%20Ahmed%20Arif%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELegalTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20size%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%244%20million%20of%20seed%20financing%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWamda%20Capital%2C%20Shorooq%20Partners%2C%20Techstars%2C%20500%20Global%2C%20OTF%2C%20Venture%20Souq%2C%20Knuru%20Capital%2C%20Plug%20and%20Play%20and%20The%20LegalTech%20Fund%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C600rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C500-4%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10.9L%2F100km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh119%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHigh%20fever%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIntense%20pain%20behind%20your%20eyes%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESevere%20headache%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENausea%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EVomiting%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESwollen%20glands%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ERash%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIf%20symptoms%20occur%2C%20they%20usually%20last%20for%20two-seven%20days%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results
1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Fenix - 3:45:47
2. David Dekker (NED) Jumbo-Visma - same time
3. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
4. Emils Liepins (LAT) Trek-Segafredo
5. Elia Viviani (ITA) Cofidis
6. Tadej Pogacar (SLO UAE Team Emirates
7. Anthony Roux (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
8. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:00:03
9. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep
10. Fausto Masnada (ITA) Deceuninck-QuickStep
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
The specs: 2018 Genesis G70
Price, base / as tested: Dh155,000 / Dh205,000
Engine: 3.3-litre, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 370hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 510Nm @ 1,300rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.6L / 100km
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
