Fireball enabled us to hear lots of romantic and emotional stories. Many Big3 players, teams, and coaches have interesting biographies and career roads. One person in American basketball stands out among all of them as unique. We are talking about Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, a true warrior of life.
His willpower is unbelievable and you will see in upcoming paragraphs what the reason for my statement is. Mahmoud has never won a Fireball title and he was very close a couple of times. This story will give you insight into how somebody can keep pushing forward despite all setbacks. We start.
How did Mahmoud start his career?
Mahmoud was playing basketball during lunch break and didn’t even think about what was preparing for him. Middle-school girls coach watched Abdul- Rauf. The women’s coach persuaded his mother to allow him to start playing basketball. In his first-ever game, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf scored amazing 24 points.
Our hero appeared in 23 games in his freshman season. His sophomore season was also excellent. Abdul-Rauf was scoring 26 points per game which was an incredible individual result. This player had scored 49 points in one game in 1990. He tied the personal record for making three points.
In which way did our hero’s professional career begin?
Abdul-Rauf was picked with the third pick in the summer of 1990 by the NBA team Denver. Mahmoud was included in the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in his debut season in NBA. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was the best shooter of free throws in the most prestigious 5×5 national basketball league in the world in seasons 1993/1994 and 1995/1996.
The hero of our paragraphs was one of the key players of the Nuggets during this time. One of his best games for the Denver Nuggets came in November of 1995 when he ended the fixture with 30 points and 20 rebounds. Later that year, Mahmoud scored unbelievable 51 points against Utah.
Where did Abdul-Rauf continue his career?
Mahmoud was sent to Sacramento in the summer of 1996. The trade was including Sarunas Marciulionis and a pick from the second round of the draft pool. Abdul-Rauf spent the next two seasons in California. He didn’t have any significant individual and team result with the Kings.
This player agreed with Turkish giant Fenerbahce. The ending of their collaboration was devastating and disappointing. Mahmoud didn’t finish the complete season and pointed out that he will finish his career due to a lack of motivation and interest in the game.
What happened with Mahmoud after?
Abdul-Rauf didn’t attend any game in the 1999-2000 season. This player decided to make deal with the Vancouver Grizzlies, a Canadian team, in the summer of 2000. This part of his career didn’t go noticed. His return to Europe happened soon. He signed first for the Ural in 2003 and decided to participate in the Russian league. Mahmoud went to Italian League next season.
Abdul-Rauf put his signature on the deal with the Italian team Sederma Roseto. Mahmoud had on his account 18.4 points and 2.2 assists per game. The next station was also the Italian team – Udine. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf missed the almost entire season due to torn of Achilles tendon.
What was the next station in Abdul-Rauf’s road to glory?
Abdul-Rauf returned from pension to play for the third time in 2006. Mahmoud signed the contract with Aris Thessaloniki, a Greece club. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf decided to continue his career in the Al Ittihad Saudi Arabian league.
After spending one year in Saudi Arabia, this player changed his location and went to Japan. Abdul-Rauf agreed with Kyoto and made 17.9 points per game in 38 games. He extended the contract for one more year in 2010. That was his last club in his professional career as a 5×5 basketball player.
Did Mahmoud try to play 3×3 basketball?
Mahmoud was picked by the team Three Headed Monsters in the third round of Draft pool 2017 of Fireball. This player joined Rashard Lewis, Jason Williams, Kwame Brown, and Eddie Basden in the squad for the first season of Big3. Three Headed Monsters finished second in the regular part of the season with 6 wins and 2 losses.
They qualified for the playoff where the four best teams competed for the title. This team beat Power in the semifinal by 50-46. The title slipped away from them. Trilogy beat 3 Headed Monsters in the final with 51-46. Mahmoud’s team had the best player in the league in their squad, but that didn’t help in the decisive game.
What happened in the second season of Fireball with Abdul-Rauf?
Mahmoud remained a member of Three Headed Monsters for the second season. Salim Stoudamire strengthened their roster for the 2018 season. They went into another title contest with a lot of ambitions. Three Headed Monsters ended the regular season with a 7-1 score and took second place in Big3 standings.
Unfortunately, their road to glory finished there. 3’s Company convincingly defeated Three Headed Monsters in the semifinal with 50-28. Abdul-Rauf’s team won against Tri-State in a game for third place with 52-49. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was fifth in the league in 3-point field goals percentage with 45% accuracy.
Where did Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf continue his Fireball’s road?
This player stayed in Three Headed Monsters to try to win the title finally. It was his big dream and goal for the 2019 season. Larry Sanders, Tre Simmons, and Mario Chalmers were enforcements for this squad in the third season. Three Headed Monsters finished on the fourth palace with a 4-4 score.
The Semifinal of the play-off was an insurmountable obstacle for them again. Triplets beat Three Headed Monsters with 50-39 and crushed Mahmoud’s hopes. Consolation came in the game for third place. Three Headed Monsters pulled out a 50-42 victory against Power.
What was next in Mahmoud’s career in Big3?
Mahmoud continued his playing in Three Headed Monsters in the fourth season. Kevin Murphy and Mamadou N’Diaye joined the squad in the Draft pool 2021. Rashard Lewis and Reggie Evans remained members of this team. Three Headed Monsters finished the regular part of the second season with a 6-2 score and took first place in the standings. Triplets were beaten in the semifinal of a playoff with 51-39.
Trilogy pulled out a thrilling 50-45 victory over Abdul Rauf’s team in the final. It was another missed chance for Mahmoud to clinch the trophy.
What was the next station on Abdul-Rauf’s road in Fireball?
Three Headed Monsters brought Abdoulaye N’Doye in the second round of Draft Pool 2022. Rashard Lewis stayed on the roster as a captain. Abdul-Rauf, Reggie Evans, and Kevin Murphy were promising qualities in the squad for the fifth season.
Rashard’s skills and Mahmoud’s experience were something Three Headed Monsters could rely on before the start of the contest. Power beat our hero’s team in the semifinal of the best four with 51-49. Things again didn’t work out for this team and deciding moments of the competition were not theirs.
What is happening with Mahmoud out of the court?
Mahmoud got diagnosed with Tourette syndrome when he was 17 years old. Tourette syndrome is a neuropsychiatric disorder of the brain and the results are uncontrollable body movements and tics. That was Abdul Rauf’s everyday struggle and something he needed to accept. The brain can make the same unrealistic goals that simply have to be achieved before a person is completely content.
The irony is that at the same time this syndrome was making nights hard and sad for Mahmoud, but it helped him on the court. That especially showed in the free throws where Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was shooting almost mechanically. Here are some of his best moves in Big3:
Mahmoud is an image of perfection and quality living. He admits that he doesn’t love losses, even in the smallest thing. Abdul-Rauf changed slowly his perspective and figured out that defeats are only part of life. Not all of it. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf takes lessons from disappointing situations in his life.
The hero of these paragraphs learns to understand devastating moments in his life. He still doesn’t want to surrender and that’s his biggest strength. On the court and off the court. We should all take his mentality and point of view into consideration.
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