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.