Famous People with Name Jabali

Warren Jabali            Origin/Culture/Country: American

Warren Jabali: is a retired American basketball player. He played professionally in the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1968 to 1975.Jabali changed his name while attending Wichita State University to reflect his African roots. The name does not have any religious connotations as it is a Swahili word for "rock." A skilled defender and rebounder and a remarkable leaper, the 6'2" Jabali could allegedly touch a basketball hoop (set ten feet above the ground) with his forehead [1]. Since he attended a relatively small college, he did not receive much attention from the National Basketball Association (NBA), and he signed instead with the Oakland Oaks of the rival ABA. In his first season in the league, he won Rookie of the Year honors, prompting teammate Rick Barry to comment, "No doubt he's one of the best guards I've ever played with — or against" [2]. Later that season, Jabali averaged 33.2 points against the Indiana Pacers in the ABA Finals and was named Playoffs MVP.