Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

Mahmoud Abdul- Rauf ( born March 9, 1969 in Gulfport, Mississippi as Chris Jackson ) is a retired American professional basketball player. In 1991, he converted to Islam and in 1993 he changed his name from Chris Jackson Mahmoud Abdul- Rauf to.

NBA

Abdul- Rauf played two years for the Louisiana State University before he signed up for the NBA Draft in 1990 and was drawn by the Denver Nuggets in third place. For his achievements in the first year as a pro, he was appointed to the NBA All- Rookie Second Team. In total, he played six years for the team from Colorado and won the 1993 NBA Most Improved Player Award, as a player who has most improved compared to last season. Later he moved to the Sacramento Kings and after a brief interlude at Fenerbahçe Ülker to the Vancouver Grizzlies. After his NBA career ended. In 586 games Abdul- Rauf scored 14.6 points 1.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. 1994 and 1996 he led the NBA to be the best free-throw shooter.

Europe and Asia

After his NBA career, he joined the Russian runner- Ural Great Perm, with whom he won the 2004 Russian Cup competition. He then played one year in the basketball club from the Italian Roseto degli Abruzzi, where he was eliminated along with the German national Misan Nikagbatse and Stephen Arigbabu in the play-off quarter-final of the Championship to eventual runner- Climamio Bologna. Then he initially announced his retirement.

In 2006 he returned to professional basketball sport and signed with Greek club Aris Thessaloniki- peak. The last years of his career he spent in Asia, where he went in the Arab Jeddah to Al -Ittihad and Japanese Kyoto for Hannaryz to basket hunt.

Controversy

Abdul- Rauf refused to stand to attention before the game to the American national anthem, which triggered a controversy. Abdul- Rauf had this referred to as a symbol of oppression, because the U.S. had a long history of tyranny. On 12 March 1996 it suspended the NBA, but only for two days and a game. After that, it was agreed that he would pray silently during the playing of the anthem.

More

Abdul- Rauf is experiencing a mild form of Tourette's syndrome.