European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 25, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday May 25, 1977 the stars and stripes Page 21 Jabbar is bumped indy starter Walther buys Aba pick his Way Back into the 500 lineup As map new York a Kareem Abdul Jabbar the towering Center of the los an Geles lakers was the landslide selection monday As the National basketball association s 1976-77 most valuable player the fifth time in the past seven years he has won the award. Abdul Jabbar who led the lakers to a 53-29 record in the regular season Best in the Aba. Joins sex Boston celtics great Bill Russell As the Only five time Winner of the Podoloff trophy named after the league s first  map award is especially satisfy ing because it went along with the Lake shaving such a great season Abdul Jabbar said. It s a great Honor to be in the company of Bill  overwhelming Winner Abdul Jabbar was the overwhelming Winner in the balloting among 247 Aba players polled at the conclusion of the Reg ular season. Abdul Jabbar received 159 votes to 29 for the runner up Center Bill Walton of the Portland Trail blazers. Bill Walton is a great Center and he certainly had a great  said lakers coach Jerry West. But he is Only the second Best Center in basketball. Kareem is the Best. He is the most dominating player in the game. And he has a tremendous Burden because he is expected to do More than anybody in the league score rebound Block  Abdul Jabbar was first in the league in Field goal percentage .579 third in scor ing 26.2 second in rebounding 13.3, and second in blocked shots 3.18. At his Peak i Don t think i can play any better or with any More consistency said the 7 foot-2 Center who celebrated his 30th birth Day last month. Once a player reaches his late 20s or Early 30s, his physical ability and knowledge of the game begin to mesh. That s when a player is at his  Abdul Jabbar won the map award in