1. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was born on Chris Wayne Jackson; March 9,1969 and is an American former professional basketball player.
28 Facts About Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
1. 2.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf played in the National Basketball Association for nine years with the Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings and Vancouver Grizzlies.
3.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was chosen as the 3rd overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets.
4.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was selected for the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 1993, appeared in the Slam Dunk Contest at the 1993 NBA All-Star Weekend, and was one of the league's most accurate free throw shooters.
5.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf sparked controversy during his NBA career when he refused to stand for the national anthem in a sign of protest and called the flag of the United States a symbol of oppression.
6.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was born Chris Jackson in Gulfport, Mississippi, the son of Jacqueline Jackson.
7.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf's childhood was characterized by poverty, as there were times when he and his brothers were not able to have proper nutrition.
8.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf missed the fourth grade and was later placed in special education classes.
9.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf had a moderate form of Tourette syndrome, a condition that went undiagnosed until he was 17.
10.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf managed to overcome difficulties to become a basketball prodigy for Gulfport High School.
11.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was an excellent free throw shooter, in one practice making 283 free throws in a row, including a long streak of not hitting the rim, and delaying practice for 45 minutes.
12.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was named Mississippi Mr Basketball twice, in 1987 and 1988.
13.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was a standout freshman for LSU, scoring 48 points against Louisiana Tech in just his third game for the school.
14.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf set the scoring record for a freshman, with 53 points against Florida.
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Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was named SEC Player of the Year and First-team All-American.
16.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was named SEC Player of the Year and First-team All-American for a second year in a row.
17.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was selected with the third pick in the 1990 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets.
18.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf played with Denver until 1996, and was a key player on that team, winning the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 1993.
19.
On December 8,1995, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf posted a career-high 51 points against the Utah Jazz.
20.
In 1998 Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf signed a two-year, $3.4 million contract with Fenerbahce of the Turkish Basketball League.
21.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf left the club without finishing the season, stating he would retire from basketball due to loss of interest in the game.
22.
In December 2003 Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf signed with Ural Great of the Russian Basketball Super League.
23.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf averaged 17.9 points in 38 games in his first season in Japan.
24.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is currently playing in the BIG3 basketball league for the 3 Headed Monsters.
25.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was introduced to Islam when he was given the book The Autobiography of Malcolm X by his LSU coach, Dale Brown.
26.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was introduced to the Quran during his rookie season with the Denver Nuggets and converted to Islam shortly afterward.
27.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf changed his name from Chris Jackson to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf in 1993.
28.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is perhaps best known for the controversy created when he refused to stand for "The Star-Spangled Banner" before games, stating that the flag was a symbol of oppression and that the United States had a long history of tyranny.