My high school had been a renovated old hospital, so when I first came to the UCLA campus in the spring of 1965, I was immediately impressed by the classic northern Italian architecture that was mixed with futuristic ultra-modern buildings. The classic architecture gave it the heft of old wisdom while the modernistic look inspired hope for the future.

I was just starting out acting [doing "Airplane"] and wanted to be taken as a professional, not as an athlete doing a cameo.

I'm still my parent's child, I'm still me, but I made a choice. I evolved into Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I think it has to do with evolution.

You can't win unless you learn how to lose.

Ken Heitz got drafted by the Bucks the same year I did. He went to their camp just for the experience, then dropped out to attend Harvard Law School. I always admired his combination of athleticism and brains.

I've always tried to stay out of the fray and not be an object of controversy.

In a typical history book, black Americans are mentioned in the context of slavery or civil rights. There's so much more to the story.