Bruin Abdul-Jabbar Drafts His List of the Pros and Cons : College football: Junior tailback has until Jan. 10 to decide whether he’ll leave early for NFL.

Faced with the biggest decision of his life, UCLA tailback Karim Abdul-Jabbar knows he is nearly down to the two-week warning. And there is no way to stop the clock.

So even though he is in Hawaii, concentrating on healing his injured ankle in preparation for Monday’s Aloha Bowl while also trying to enjoy the sights and sounds of Honolulu, Abdul-Jabbar can’t put aside his impending decision on whether he’ll forgo his final year of collegiate eligibility and turn professional.

With a deadline of Jan. 10 for declaring his intentions, the junior tailback has been making a mental list of pros and cons even as he prepares to face Kansas on Christmas Day.

It’s a list that should look something like this:

REASONS TO LEAVE

--The numbers: Abdul-Jabbar already has a single-season, school-record 1,419 rushing yards this year, despite the fact that he was sidelined for all but one play of the last two games because of the ankle injury and was hurt for parts of two other games. Add to that the likelihood that he will gain another sizable chunk of yardage Monday if the ankle holds up, and Abdul-Jabbar has the numbers to impress pro teams, numbers he has no guarantee he’ll duplicate in his senior year. He may never be hotter than he is right now.

--The injuries: The ankle problem is not considered serious. But Abdul-Jabbar has had a history of knee problems, and they could recur if he plays another bruising year with the Bruins, thus lowering his market value.

--The line: Four members of his offensive line, one of the strongest in the conference, are seniors. Only guard Chad Overhauser, a sophomore, will be returning.

--The coach: There will be a new head coach at UCLA who will want to put his own imprint on the offense. While it is inconceivable that any coach would not want to feature Abdul-Jabbar in his game plan, there may be some changes that do not enhance Abdul-Jabbar’s style.

“If they go to a five [receiver] spread with no running back,” said Abdul-Jabbar jokingly, “then I’m in trouble. Maybe they’ll want to make me a [defensive back]. You never know.”

--The rival: Fellow tailback Skip Hicks will be returning from a knee injury. While Hicks does not figure to beat out Abdul-Jabbar for the starting job, Hicks would take away some of Abdul-Jabbar’s carries.

REASONS TO STAY

--The speed: Several pro scouts say that, at this point, Abdul-Jabbar is projected as a lower first-round or top second-round draft pick. The deciding factor may be his time in the 40-yard dash in February when all the NFL scouts and player personnel directors gather to test the talent. But unless his injured ankle is back to full strength, Abdul-Jabbar may not be able to run an impressive 40. And he won’t know that until after the deadline for declaring.

--The potential: Abdul-Jabbar had a shot at a 2,000-yard season this year if he had not been injured. If he was to play another year for the Bruins and put together such a season, his NFL stock would soar.

--The parents: They want him to stay in school and get his degree. But they won’t meddle.

According to Abdul-Jabbar, his father, Naim Shah, made the decision that Abdul-Jabbar would go from Dorsey High to UCLA.

“He told them, ‘We are coming,’ ” Abdul-Jabbar said. “He told me when we got home. But he said he’ll leave this decision to me.”

--The religion: His Muslim faith has taught him to put spiritual contentment over materialism and patience over impulsiveness. If Abdul-Jabbar determines that it is in his best interests not to take the money and run, but to run for the Bruins for another year, he has the maturity to stick to that decision.

So which one will it be? Only one thing seems certain: UCLA’s rushing leader will not be rushed.

“I’ll probably wait,” he said, “right up to the deadline.”