Who is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's ex Cheryl Pistono? Did they ever marry and where is she now?

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's ex Cheryl Pistono was one of the most influential figures in his life. Pistono and Kareem stayed together when the former split with his wife, Habiba, in 1973.

Abdul-Jabbar and Pistono never got married, but they had a son named Amir in 1984. They split in 1985 but have maintained a close relationship.

Pistono is originally from Illinois. She turned to Buddhism and met the NBA great in 1977. Some reports say Pistono's lack of interest in sports led to her not recognizing Abdul-Jabbar when they first met.

Here's what she once said about not being interested in the six-time MVP (via The Cinemaholic):

“I had no interest in him because I never liked the people who were into the sports mentality, and despite everything else, he obviously was. He expected me to fall all over him. Women always had, but one day he brought me a rose from his garden. He was serious as hell! I thought, oh, I’ve got to get this person to laugh. All I could think of was to not hurt him.”

Abdul-Jabbar never shied away from expressing how influential Pistono was to him. According to him, she was more influential than his coaches, teachers and teammates. Pistono also convinced him to get a divorce after spending four years away from his ex-wife Habiba.

Pistono is also believed to be behind Abdul-Jabbar improving his leadership skills and being a good teammate and listener.

Click here to read Pistono's interview (via The Cinemaholic) about meeting Abdul-Jabbar for the first time.

What is Cheryl Pistono doing now?

Pistono married Steven Jenkins following her split with Abdul-Jabbar in 1985. Her current marital status isn't known. Reports suggest Pistono is currently a Los Angeles native and is self-employed.