From his high school days in the 1960s to becoming one of the most legendary figures in basketball, Pat Riley's journey is as remarkable as it is unexpected. NEWSLETTERS Emailed Daily.

Boyd’s notion: pretend that Alcindor is just another man on the U.C.L.A. roster, let him take his shots—and pray that he misses. Lew took his shots all right—32 of them—and he hit on 23.

1945: A one-time basketball star in Schenectady, NY, Pat Riley’s high school team once beat Lew Alcindor’s team. Riley later coached him.

Before he was holding things down for UCLA, including a postseason career that ended with 304 points, Kareem (then Lou Alcindor) was one of the greatest high school players of all time.