Bruce Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s iconic fight scene in “Game of Death” (1972)

Bruce Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1972 filming of, “Game of Death”, which Lee wrote, directed, and produced. 

Bruce and Kareem met in 1967 while Kareem was still a student at UCLA. Kareem was impressed with Bruce’s martial arts skills and began to train with him. 

The two developed a strong friendship and Bruce eventually invited Kareem to film a fight scene in “Game of Death.”

“Bruce was the kind of person who could win you over within twenty seconds of meeting him. Most martial arts instructors I had met before were very “stiff and formal, constantly demanding overt demonstrations of respect. Not Bruce. He greeted me with a broad smile and friendly demeanor, and right away I knew this was not a scowling teacher from Japanese films demanding bowing obedience. We talked UCLA basketball for a while and then got down to business,” Kareem wrote in his book “Becoming Kareem.”

Bruce died in 1973 before he could finish filming “Game of Death.” The film was eventually released in 1978 but with a new plot and characters.

Kareem went on to become one of the greatest NBA players of all time, winning the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for a record six times. Kareem has said his training with Bruce played a key role in developing the durability and longevity that led him to become NBA’s all-time leading scorer, a record he held until 2023.