The first in a series of essays examining the past, present and future of a basketball superstar and cultural force.

Kenesaw Mountain Landis takes office as baseball’s commissioner. 1947 — Carl Hubbell, Frank Frisch, Mickey Cochrane, and Lefty Grove are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Harry How/Getty ImagesKareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks during a press conference. Abdul-Jabbar and Robertson played together on the Milwaukee Bucks later in Robertson’s career, and while his choice of ...

Jokic became just the second center in NBA history, alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to notch 5,000 career assists. Entering the game with 4,992 assists, he reached the landmark with his eighth ...