Somehow, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf doesn’t appear to be resentful.
Perhaps it’s the maturity that comes with nearly three decades’ worth of time, or perhaps he’s rationalized his unusual path in and out of the NBA. But Abdul-Rauf was, in many ways, a trailblazer. Stand, a Showtime documentary that premiered Friday, explores his fascinating story of overcoming poverty, racism, Tourette’s Syndrome, and a single-parent household only to later be exiled from the NBA because of his beliefs.
Abdul-Rauf was drafted third overall by the Nuggets in 1990 out of LSU. His lightning-fast release, combined with his deft handle, evoked retroactive comparisons to Steph Curry. His talent was mesmerizing, as was his ongoing battle with Tourette’s, which likely contributed to his dedication on the court.
But Abdul-Rauf (formerly Chris Jackson at LSU) converted to Islam early in his NBA career. As a practicing Muslim, he couldn’t justify standing for the national anthem prior to games. During one infamous interview, he said the flag was a “symbol of oppression, of tyranny.” Abdul-Rauf was only asked about his beliefs when a local sports radio host noticed he wasn’t standing for the anthem. In reality, he’d been doing the practice for months before anyone noticed.
“It wasn’t a thing that I felt that he was doing for anyone, not that what (Colin) Kaepernick was doing was, I’m not judging him for the way he did it,” former teammate Robert Pack told The Post for a story in 2020. “I just think Mahmoud, it was something he had learned and he believed in. … He just chose to do it. No one knew.”
The NBA, the Nuggets, fans, and perhaps even teammates, didn’t know how to react to Abdul-Rauf’s protest. In a different time, maybe those entities would’ve been more tolerant.
“Early on, I think people were just taken aback because he’s coming on a little strong,” former teammate LaPhonso Ellis told The Post in 2020.
A suspension followed, then later a compromise. Abdul-Rauf agreed to stand with his hands over his face, praying. But the NBA ecosystem wasn’t able to tolerate even that agreement. Abdul-Rauf was soon traded to Sacramento and later blackballed from the league entirely.
The documentary has basketball luminaries like Curry and former LSU teammate Shaquille O’Neal offering their insight on Abdul-Rauf’s story. It features former Nuggets teammate Jalen Rose apologizing that he didn’t support Abdul-Rauf more as he was being ostracized.
But beyond the names, it’s a nuanced look at a sensitive and still pertinent topic within professional sports in America. From my vantage point, I wonder how it would’ve been handled in today’s media landscape. As the beat writer for the Nuggets tasked with forging working relationships with players, would I have developed enough trust to be able to write Abdul-Rauf’s story respectfully and thoroughly?
As the documentary shows, it became a media sensation that took on an unhealthy life of its own.
Abdul-Rauf comes across as thoughtful, at ease, and yet still skeptical of the institutions that permitted his story to transpire how it did. It’s impossible not to wonder whether today’s NBA would’ve been more accepting.
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