Where Are They Now: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Nobody who followed basketball in the ‘90s could ever forget the name Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. Some may remember him as the high scoring, diminutive guard with the silky-smooth shooting touch. But chances are, most just associate him as the guy who refused to stand during the national anthem in 1996. At that time, he was possibly the most controversial and hated athlete in all of sports.
Abdul-Rauf, born Chris Jackson, had overcome enormous obstacles to get to the NBA. Growing up, he had battled extreme poverty and Tourette’s syndroume, which is an inherited neuropsychiatic disorder that results in uncontrollable body movements and tics.
He found refuge from the constant teasing on the court. Hailed as one of the greatest high school players to ever come out of Mississippi, Abdul-Rauf would go on to LSU where he torched the NCAA his freshman year with an incredible 30.2 ppg average. He was a two-time first team All-American with and even graced the cover of Sports Illustrated.
The Nuggets used the third pick of the 1990 NBA Draft on the 5-11 scoring machine. While Mahmoud struggled on the court at first, he was able to catch his stride his third season where he was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player after he upped his scoring average from 10.3 ppg to 19.2 ppg. He also had one of the cleanest strokes in NBA history. For his career, he averaged 35.4 percent from behind the arc and 90.5 percent from the free-throw line. In the 1995-’96 season, he shot an unheard of 95.8 percent from the stripe – which was second only to Calvin Murphy’s all-time FT percentage of 95.8 percent.
But Abdul-Rauf will always be known for his stance against America by protesting the national anthem. After the league suspended him for refusing to stand during the song, Abdul-Rauf was forced to stand, but he did so with his head down and buried in his hands in prayer. His actions were scrutinized by the media, public and even teammates and coaches.
Thirteen years after he made the biggest political statement in NBA history, Abdul-Rauf is still playing pro ball. The 40-year-old former lottery pick has quietly been circling the global basketball circuit ever since his last NBA pit stop ended after the 2000-’01 season with Vancouver. He has played in leagues in Russia, Italy, Greece and Saudi Arabia.
Abdul-Rauf’s next journey will take him to the Far East as he signed with the Japanese club Kyoto Hannaryz for the 2009-’10 season.
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September 15th, 2009 at 10:29 am
KnicksFan84 says:
He was great to play with in NBA Live ’98 along with Mitch Richmond and Glen Rice!
September 15th, 2009 at 10:30 am
That's whats up says:
I just remember his ‘ticks’, and his quick trigger
September 15th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Lee says:
It wasn’t that he was protesting against America, it was that his religious views meant he didn’t belong to a country, but his religion. He therefor refused to stand during the anthem as it meant nothing to him. That’s what we were told in England anyway.
September 15th, 2009 at 10:31 am
Big North says:
Dude was baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!
September 15th, 2009 at 10:44 am
isotope says:
Good to know dude is still playing. Dude was mad humble and was never one to hog the spotlight. But he was good at what he did. He was on that Denver squad that shocked the Sonics in the 1st round right?
September 15th, 2009 at 11:00 am
sh!tfaced says:
Nice to know that despite all the involuntary movements by his body, he’s still playing. And at 40 years too. Dude was Shaq’s first ‘sidekick’ when they were ‘mates at LSU…
September 15th, 2009 at 11:10 am
LeMay says:
lee is an idiot. If you dont stand for your country its disrespecting the country no matter what the reason is. If your not standing you better not have legs. Im glad hes out of this country playing scrub ball.
September 15th, 2009 at 11:12 am
dapro says:
This was my dude, a pure shooter.
I remember when he took a stance against the NBA and the national anthem; I personally believe he was quietly blackballed from the league after the incident. His playing dropped significantly after the 96
Dime, do one on Randolph Childress. Where is that dude?
September 15th, 2009 at 11:21 am
BCap says:
sidekicks don’t average 30.2 ….
September 15th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Soul Brova 1 says:
People got into an uproar over that but the anthem stands for people to stand or not stand for the anthem. That is one of the freedoms that this country and the anthem is supposed to represent and encourage. White people looked at it as a nigga with money biting the hand that fed him. More players should have stepped up and stood by him in support but it hammered home that the black athlete of today are nothing more than high priced slaves eager to please master.
September 15th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Kermit the Washington says:
“But Abdul-Rauf will always be known for his stance against America”
…”stance against America”? Really?
September 15th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Kermit the Washington says:
Every country has their “national anthem” type of thing, and basically it’s each country saying “we’re #1, we’re better than other countries”. You get a guy that stands up and says “Hey, I believe that all people are equal to God and we ultimately answer to him”, and then he gets blackballed and labeled “anti-American”. That just ain’t right man…
September 15th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
MSkittle says:
Legendary feature
September 15th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Diego says:
Guy was unbelieveable in college. I remember seeing him in person score more than 50 against Florida at Florida.
Concur with dapro at post 8: Right or wrong, he basically was blackballed after his anthem drama.
(But the NBA still kind of does that sort of thing: If you make waves or are viewed as trouble (whether you are or not), teams don’t want you (e.g., Tinsley, Spree), while good guy, known-quantity veterans like Lorenzen Wright or Jake Voskuhl steal a spot on the bench. Just the way it is. Kind of like any job–its good to get along.)
September 15th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
jonny taise says:
he was in a dunk competition too. not bad for 5’11″!
September 15th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Fraz says:
Dude was a great player, glad to see he’s still playing overseas. And whats american about a man being black balled by the league just for voicing his religious beliefs? If a man doesnt want to stand for the anthem, its a free country and whether you respect his decision or not its his decision. Great feature.
September 15th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
shake&bake says:
God before your country – so I can’t fault him for that even if I don’t have the same beliefs as him of not “belonging” to a country. On the bball side, he was fun to watch, quick and lights out.
September 15th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Shogun says:
Steph Curry is the second coming of Abdul-Rauf.
September 15th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Big Sneezy says:
He didn’t take a stand against America, just for Islam. He had just recently converted to Islam and was trying a little too hard, as converts tend to do. He later was counseled by some imams who basically told him it was okay to stand for the anthem, and he apologized for any hurt feelings.
I still don’t see what the big deal was. Some people are all too happy to find black, basketball-playing villains.
September 15th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Austin Burton says:
@Big Sneezy — Took the words right out of my mouth.
September 15th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Nidal says:
He didn’t stand because of his Islamic views…He didn’t stand because he thought that the flag stood for Slavery and tyranny…
September 15th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
weezy f says:
LeMay is an idiot
September 15th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Ashlov says:
Hakeem had some harsh things to say regarding his behavior, and it was well deserved. You don’t shit where you eat, period. Don’t like, go play pro ball in Syria.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Flip says:
@23 Its a flag and an anthem, man. If you put that over someones individual freedom and call it “unamerican” youre corrupting the very principles those things stand for.
September 15th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
dapro says:
@ Big Sneezy
Somewhat true bruh, he converted to islam but didn’t officially change his name and annouce to the world until the particular incident
It wasn’t so much that he didn’t stand he asked if he could sit in the locker room during the anthem, the team and league said no. He said that he wouldn’t stand and recite the anthem.
September 15th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
CJ says:
man despite all that anthem stuff, guy should be remembered as a baller. he had unbelievable skills. quick release jumper with unlimited range, 40 inch vert, and crazy, crazy handles. and you ain’t gonna believe me when i say this, but he invented the utep 2 step that timmy hardaway claimed he invented. anybody who watched him at lsu knows it to be the truth. timmy stole it off him when the 2 went head to head in the 89 ncaa tournament. timmy even tried to do it that game and bounced it off his leg.
another note, his denver team was one of the nine teams that beat jordan’s 72 win team. he was the high scorer and was even giving jordan the business. look it up on youtube.
September 15th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
POPPI GEE says:
Preshate it DIME. Dude was cold. Only player I know with a story of beating MJ one on one. Did his thing in the L and ashame that his career is more known for that standing for the anthem stuff. Personally I thought it was his right to do what he wanted. I mean you can’t force people.
Anyway dude did his thing.
September 15th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
sans says:
Yeah, Rauf got the Calvin Hodges raw deal–too good to just be cast aside. It’s good to see people stand up for what they believe in, even when it threatens their lively hood.
September 15th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
72-10 says:
I remember when they accounted for one of those 10 L’s during the Bulls 72-10 run. The original Mighty Mouse…
September 16th, 2009 at 5:48 am
weng santos says:
The anthem represents the freedom to choose whether to sit or stand just as the flag represents the freedom to burn that flag in protest.
What is the USA without the Bill of Rights, after all.
I don’t agree with Abdul-Rauf not standing. He was dissing the anthem, pure and simple. And even if that was his right, he should remember that the anthem also represents the struggles of those before him; the blood and lives lost just to give him his right to play pro ball.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:03 am
doc says:
The truth is they say do what you feel in America but in reality its do what they say or be blackballed.Fuck the national anthem and anybody who likes that corny ass song.America aint shit.
September 23rd, 2009 at 11:17 pm
dennis says:
are his religious beliefs the reason why the NBA remove his name from the all-time FT% list? from 1990 to 2001, he played 586 games, he made 1,051 out of 1,161 FTA for a 90.5% accuracy. check out the stats in the NBA website to see what i mean…
October 8th, 2009 at 2:41 am
Da_Griff says:
I liked him a lot. Apart from the bit where he couldn’t run a fast break.
He never did figure that out. He ended up tailing out of the league after having eye problems if I remember correctly. Once you can’t see straight, you can’t shoot straight.
November 14th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Aquarianman says:
weng santos I disagree with your comment.
The anthem was written in 1812….this had nothing to do with the freedom of Blacks in America, it was more about the war against the British Army.
The Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863 – this is what represented Blacks “so-called freedom”
Which is really all crap -
A Man defines himself when he’s able and willing to accept his own concept/view of the world___regardless of how extreme this concept/view may differ from that of others.
So is the NBA saying you can’t be your own man and play basketball? IT’S TROUBLESOME
December 1st, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Richard Jones says:
I saw him in high school against a kid named Lateral Green they both were tremendous. Until Lebron..he and Billy Owens (Maybe also Marcus Liberty) were the best high schools I ever saw
December 7th, 2009 at 2:52 am
AmeriGurl says:
For all who says freedom of speech…freedom of religion…then the anthem must be made of lies since this whole commotion is about a guy who had expressed an opinion oh his own of this country. And like some say are you there for the game or for the anthem??? just asking…think be4 u judge.
February 26th, 2010 at 7:33 am
kiri says:
still legend ,we never forget Mahmoud!
March 6th, 2010 at 10:06 pm
David says:
I agree with Big Sneezy. Just to add a little: He said he didn’t stand because he didn’t believe America was just. He grew up in poverty and without healthcare with his mother working the whole day, with racism. That changed his view on America.
March 15th, 2010 at 7:26 am
Nuggsrule says:
He may have hated our country but he seemed to love our money, I stopped watching the nuggets for years over that chump good riddence dude