The Student Newspaper of MSU Denver
mymetmedia.com
VOL. 41 NO. 7
@themetonline
September 26, 2018
themetropolitan
Twenty-two years later, relevance of Nuggets legend’s protest persists
Photo by M. Spencer Green | obtained from AP Photo
Photo by Kaileigh Lyons | klyons9@msudenver.edu
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf prays during the national anthem before a game against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago on March 15, 1996. He was fined three days earlier by the NBA for proteseting the anthem.
Former Denver Nuggets player Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf talks about where sports players have a place in talking about religion at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Sept. 22.
Steph Curry before Steph Curry.
by James Burky jburky@msudenver.edu
be a Muslim — that’s like double trouble
University — Abdul-Qaadir battled
— there’s going to be fallback. It’s this
injuries while flashing her on-court
court success, but his sideline protests
notion that we don’t have minds of our own,
potential. Though she never averaged
of the national anthem. The Colin
that we should ‘Shut up and dribble.’”
more than 7.8 points in a season, she
He’s not remembered for his on-
Flashback to the 1995-96 NBA season. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is the starting point guard for the Denver Nuggets. In December of that season, the former third overall pick drops 51 points on the Utah Jazz and
Kaepernick before Colin Kaepernick.
Fifteen years later, Bilqis Abdul-
established herself as a dime-dropper,
And just like the quarterback, Abdul-
Qaadir, the state of Massachusetts’ all-
tallying 100 assists her junior season.
Rauf received death threats for his actions.
time leader in points scored, set foot on
After college, she attempted to go
a court for the University of Memphis
professional, testing her luck overseas.
“I certainly was aware that there
three months later, guts Michael Jordan
was going to be risk involved,” he said.
women’s basketball team, donning No.
and the legendary Chicago Bulls for 33,
“History repeats itself. You look at the
10 on a royal blue jersey and a hijab
handing the team one of their 10 losses.
likes of Muhammad Ali, John Carlos and
— she was the first player to do so.
The 6-foot-1-inch Abdul-Rauf was a baller in every sense of the word, the
INSIDE
NEWS
Tommie Lee Smith, any time an athlete in
In four years in the NCAA — three
particular, a black athlete who happens to
at Memphis and one at Indiana State
| pg. 2
SGA negotiates free The New York Times subscription
OPINION
| pg. 4
Should we forgive people’s past?
FEATURES
| pg. 6
| Continued on pg. 8
SPORTS
| pg. 9
Fall Fest encourages student
Women’s soccer sweeps in
involvement
homestand