Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Encyclopedia
Shareef Abdur-Rahim is a retired American professional basketball
player and current assistant general manager for the Sacramento Kings
. He last played for the Kings of the National Basketball Association
(NBA). On the basketball court, he played both forward or center
positions. Abdur-Rahim was a standout player during his high school days. He left University of California, Berkeley
after one year to enter the 1996 NBA Draft
.
In his early NBA career, Abdur-Rahim was the star of the Vancouver Grizzlies
franchise
for five seasons. He was traded by the Grizzlies in 2001 and then played for the Atlanta Hawks
and Portland Trail Blazers
before joining his last team, the Sacramento Kings. Nicknamed "Reef", Abdur-Rahim was named an NBA All-Star in the 2001–02 season. He also played on the United States men's national basketball team that won the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics
. Prior to joining the Kings, despite the fact that he achieved solid statistics throughout his career, Abdur-Rahim held the NBA record for most number of games played without making a playoff
appearance. Following persistent injuries to his right knee, Abdur-Rahim announced his retirement from basketball on September 22, 2008.
. He values his parents for their guiding influence on him since his youth and credits them with his life philosophy: "remember how you came on all your accomplishments and stay humble." From an early age, Abdur-Rahim was surrounded by family members who played basketball; his brother, Muhammad, played at the University of Detroit while his younger brother, Amir, played at Southeastern Louisiana University
. Abdur-Rahim himself started playing competitive basketball at Joseph Wheeler High School
in Marietta, Georgia. At Wheeler, he was named "Mr. Basketball" in back-to-back seasons, and he led the school to a state title as a junior in 1994.
Abdur-Rahim later attended college at the University of California, Berkeley
, where he maintained a GPA of 3.5. At California, he averaged 21.1 points per game
(ppg) and 8.4 rebounds per game (rpg) in 28 games. He was the first freshman
in Pac-10
history to win Conference Player of the Year honors, and was named Third Team All-America by the Associated Press. Abdur-Rahim also set single-season freshman records for points, scoring average, field goals, and free throw
s. After a year at California however, he decided to leave college to enter the 1996 NBA Draft
.
in the 1996 Draft, behind Allen Iverson
and Marcus Camby
. He made an immediate impact playing for the Grizzlies, becoming the team's leading scorer while setting a franchise record of 18.7 ppg. He also averaged 6.9 rebounds
and 2.2 assists
in 35 minutes per game. He finished third in balloting for the Schick
NBA Rookie of the Year behind Philadelphia's
Allen Iverson and Minnesota's
Stephon Marbury
, and he was picked for the All-Rookie First Team. By the end of the 1996–97 season, Abdur-Rahim led the team in scoring on 33 occasions, rebounding on 23 occasions.
For the next few seasons, Abdur-Rahim remained the centerpiece of the Grizzlies team. In his sophomore season
, he averaged 22.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg and 2.6 assists per game (apg). The following season
, he elevated his performance with 23.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, and 3.4 apg. Despite his best efforts, the Grizzlies remained grounded at the bottom two spots of the Midwest Division
in his first four seasons. For the 2000–01 season, Abdur-Rahim finished with a 20 ppg-plus average for the fourth straight season and was ranked in the top 20 in 13 NBA statistical categories, once again leading the Grizzlies in both ppg and rpg. Abdur-Rahim's importance to the team was highlighted in a game against the Indiana Pacers
on December 1, 2000, when he earned all of the 20 points scored by the Grizzlies in the final quarter of the game.
reached an agreement to acquire Abdur-Rahim and the 27th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft
from the Vancouver Grizzlies in exchange for Brevin Knight
, Lorenzen Wright
and Pau Gasol
, the third overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. Abdur-Rahim's return to his hometown, and expected partnership with sophomore Jason Terry
, provided a significant amount of buzz around the league. While the Hawks finished the 2001–02 campaign with a 33–49 win-loss record, Abdur-Rahim's performances, including a career-high 50-point game, ensured that he would be selected to the NBA All-Star game
for that season.
In his second season with the Hawks, Abdur-Rahim achieved another personal milestone on December 28, 2002, when his jump shot against the Washington Wizards
made him the fifth-youngest player in NBA history to reach 10,000-points. Although Glenn Robinson
, Jason Terry and Abdur-Rahim combined to average 57.9 ppg and become the highest-scoring trio in the league for the 2002–03 season
, the Hawks failed to make the playoffs
again. With an average of 19.9 ppg and 8.4 rpg, Abdur-Rahim played in all but one of the Hawks' games. By the end of the season, Hawks General Manager
Billy Knight
decided major changes had to be made for the franchise to move forward, and Abdur-Rahim was traded the next season.
and Dan Dickau
in exchange for Rasheed Wallace
and Wesley Person
, Abdur-Rahim was sent to the Portland Trail Blazers
on February 9, 2004. His impact in the two seasons with the Trail Blazers was considerably less than in previous seasons. His average was 16.3ppg/7.5rpg and 16.8/7.3rpg for the 2003–04
and 2004–05
campaigns respectively. At the end of the 2004–05 season, Abdur-Rahim became a free agent
.
During the 2005 off-season, he was traded via a sign and trade
agreement (in principle) to the New Jersey Nets
for a first-round draft pick (which Portland planned to trade to the Phoenix Suns
for Leandro Barbosa
). On August 4, 2005, though the news conference
was planned to announce the postponement of his arrival, it was revealed that he failed a required physical due to scar tissue
found in his knee. The trade was put on hold, pending a second opinion from other medical sources. On August 7, Abdur-Rahim was quoted saying: "I don't feel I want to be a Net". He felt the knee was a non-issue, claiming that he never missed a game in his entire career because of the knee injury. Two days later, it was announced that New Jersey decided to rescind
the trade.
with them, Abdur-Rahim started in 30 of the 72 games he played. As a starter, he averaged 16.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg and 3.0 apg. He shot .543 for field goal percentage
, .417 from the three-point range, and almost .800 from the free throw line. The Kings went on to qualify for the 2006 playoffs
. Abdur-Rahim made his postseason career debut against the San Antonio Spurs
. At the same time, he ended a streak of having played the most number of games in NBA history without participating in the post-season. In his second season
with the Kings, Abdur-Rahim continued to be deployed as a sixth man
; however, the Kings failed to secure a playoff berth as Abdur-Rahim recorded a career-low 1.7 ppg. The 2007–08 season
proved to be Abdur-Rahim's last, as he played only six games and his persistent knee injury forced him to announce his retirement on September 22, 2008. He joined the Sacramento Kings' coaching staff as an assistant the following week. On October 7, 2010 Abdur-Rahim was hired to be the assistant general manager for the Sacramento Kings.
. He averaged a double-double of 16.8 points and 10.1 rebounds. While trying for a team high in blocked shots
averaging 1.6 blocks per game, he helped push the American squad to an 8–0 record, the gold medal, and a qualifying berth in the 1995 FIBA Junior World Championship. The following May he was named to USA Basketball's 1995 Junior Select Team that captured an 86–77 victory over an International Select Team in the inaugural Hoop Summit Game.
While playing for the Grizzlies, together with several NBA stars such as Kevin Garnett
and Tim Hardaway
, Abdur-Rahim was selected to be part of the USA Men's basketball team which won the gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games
in Sydney, Australia.
, the Future Foundation, which provides after school and other support services for youth at-risk in Atlanta. On television, Abdur-Rahim has appeared on an episode of The Jamie Foxx Show
with fellow NBA players Gary Payton
and Vin Baker
.
| align="left" | 1996–97
| align="left" | Vancouver
| 80 || 71 || 35.0 || .453 || .259 || .746 || 6.9 || 2.2 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 18.7
|-
| align="left" | 1997–98
| align="left" | Vancouver
| 82 || 82 || 36.0 || .485 || .412 || .784 || 7.1 || 2.6 || 1.1 || .9 || 22.3
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Vancouver
| 50 || 50 || 40.4 || .432 || .306 || .841 || 7.5 || 3.4 || 1.4 || 1.1 || 23.0
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" | Vancouver
| 82 || 82 || 39.3 || .465 || .302 || .809 || 10.1 || 3.3 || 1.1 || 1.1 || 20.3
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Vancouver
| 81 || 81 || 40.0 || .472 || .188 || .834 || 9.1 || 3.1 || 1.1 || .9 || 20.5
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Atlanta
| 77 || 77 || 38.7 || .461 || .300 || .801 || 9.0 || 3.1 || 1.3 || 1.0 || 21.2
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Atlanta
| 81 || 81 || 38.1 || .478 || .350 || .841 || 8.4 || 3.0 || 1.1 || .5 || 19.9
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Atlanta
| 53 || 53 || 36.9 || .485 || .217 || .880 || 9.3 || 2.4 || .8 || .4 || 20.1
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Portland
| 32 || 3 || 22.8 || .447 || .364 || .832 || 4.5 || 1.5 || .8 || .6 || 10.0
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Portland
| 54 || 49 || 34.6 || .503 || .385 || .866 || 7.3 || 2.1 || .9 || .5 || 16.8
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 72 || 30 || 27.2 || .525 || .227 || .784 || 5.0 || 2.1 || .7 || .6 || 12.3
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 80 || 45 || 25.2 || .474 || .150 || .726 || 5.0 || 1.4 || .7 || .5 || 9.9
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 6 || 0 || 8.5 || .214 || .000 || 1.000 || 1.7 || .7 || .2 || .0 || 1.7
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 830 || 704 || 34.8 || .472 || .297 || .810 || 7.5 || 2.5 || 1.0 || .7 || 18.1
|-
| align="left" | All-Star
| align="left" |
| 1 || 0 || 21.0 || 1.000 || 1.000 || .000 || 6.0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || 9.0
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 6 || 0 || 21.5 || .535 || .000 || .600 || 4.8 || 1.2 || .3 || .0 || 9.2
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 6 || 0 || 21.5 || .535 || .000 || .600 || 4.8 || 1.2 || .3 || .0 || 9.2
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and current assistant general manager for the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. He last played for the Kings of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA). On the basketball court, he played both forward or center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
positions. Abdur-Rahim was a standout player during his high school days. He left University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
after one year to enter the 1996 NBA Draft
1996 NBA Draft
The 1996 NBA Draft was the 50th draft in the National Basketball Association . It was held on June 26, 1996 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the Turner Network Television...
.
In his early NBA career, Abdur-Rahim was the star of the Vancouver Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
franchise
Professional sports league organization
Professional sports leagues are organized in numerous ways. The two most significant types are a European model, characterised by a tiered structure using promotion and relegation to determine participation in a hierarchy of leagues or divisions and a North American model characterized by its use...
for five seasons. He was traded by the Grizzlies in 2001 and then played for the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
and Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
before joining his last team, the Sacramento Kings. Nicknamed "Reef", Abdur-Rahim was named an NBA All-Star in the 2001–02 season. He also played on the United States men's national basketball team that won the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. Prior to joining the Kings, despite the fact that he achieved solid statistics throughout his career, Abdur-Rahim held the NBA record for most number of games played without making a playoff
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
appearance. Following persistent injuries to his right knee, Abdur-Rahim announced his retirement from basketball on September 22, 2008.
Early life
Shareef Abdur-Rahim is the second eldest sibling in a family of twelve children born to Aminah and William Abdur-Rahim. Abdur-Rahim, whose first name means "noble" and whose last name means "servant of the most merciful one," is a devout MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
. He values his parents for their guiding influence on him since his youth and credits them with his life philosophy: "remember how you came on all your accomplishments and stay humble." From an early age, Abdur-Rahim was surrounded by family members who played basketball; his brother, Muhammad, played at the University of Detroit while his younger brother, Amir, played at Southeastern Louisiana University
Southeastern Louisiana University
Southeastern Louisiana University is a state-funded public university in Hammond, Louisiana, United States. It was founded in 1925 by Linus A. Sims, the principal of Hammond High School, as Hammond Junior College, located in a wing of the high school building. Sims succeeded in getting the campus...
. Abdur-Rahim himself started playing competitive basketball at Joseph Wheeler High School
Joseph Wheeler High School
Wheeler High School is located in northeast Cobb County, Georgia, USA. It is near the city of Marietta, about northwest of downtown Atlanta. Wheeler has been in operation since 1965...
in Marietta, Georgia. At Wheeler, he was named "Mr. Basketball" in back-to-back seasons, and he led the school to a state title as a junior in 1994.
Abdur-Rahim later attended college at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, where he maintained a GPA of 3.5. At California, he averaged 21.1 points per game
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
(ppg) and 8.4 rebounds per game (rpg) in 28 games. He was the first freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
in Pac-10
Pacific Ten Conference
The Pacific-12 Conference is a college athletic conference that operates in the Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I; its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of NCAA Division I football competition...
history to win Conference Player of the Year honors, and was named Third Team All-America by the Associated Press. Abdur-Rahim also set single-season freshman records for points, scoring average, field goals, and free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
s. After a year at California however, he decided to leave college to enter the 1996 NBA Draft
1996 NBA Draft
The 1996 NBA Draft was the 50th draft in the National Basketball Association . It was held on June 26, 1996 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the Turner Network Television...
.
Vancouver Grizzlies
Abdur-Rahim was selected third overall by the Vancouver GrizzliesMemphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
in the 1996 Draft, behind Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson
Allen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
and Marcus Camby
Marcus Camby
Marcus D. Camby is an American professional basketball player, who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year during the 2006–07 NBA season, leading the league in blocked shots per game...
. He made an immediate impact playing for the Grizzlies, becoming the team's leading scorer while setting a franchise record of 18.7 ppg. He also averaged 6.9 rebounds
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
and 2.2 assists
Assist (basketball)
In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist...
in 35 minutes per game. He finished third in balloting for the Schick
Schick
Schick may refer to:* Schick , a well-known brand of safety razor* Schick Technologies, a major manufacturer of digital X-ray systems for dentists*Schick test a test to determine susceptibility to diphtheriaSchick is the surname of:...
NBA Rookie of the Year behind Philadelphia's
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
Allen Iverson and Minnesota's
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
Stephon Marbury
Stephon Marbury
Stephon Xavier Marbury is an American professional basketball player.The , point guard was selected out of the Georgia Institute of Technology by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 4th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly thereafter to the Minnesota Timberwolves.He was an NBA...
, and he was picked for the All-Rookie First Team. By the end of the 1996–97 season, Abdur-Rahim led the team in scoring on 33 occasions, rebounding on 23 occasions.
For the next few seasons, Abdur-Rahim remained the centerpiece of the Grizzlies team. In his sophomore season
1997-98 NBA season
The 1997–98 NBA season was the 52nd season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Chicago Bulls winning their third straight championship and sixth in the last eight years, beating the Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 in the 1998 NBA Finals...
, he averaged 22.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg and 2.6 assists per game (apg). The following season
1998-99 NBA season
The 1999 NBA season was the 53rd season of the National Basketball Association . Due to a lockout, the season did not start until February 5, 1999 after a new six year Collective Bargaining Agreement was reached between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association...
, he elevated his performance with 23.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, and 3.4 apg. Despite his best efforts, the Grizzlies remained grounded at the bottom two spots of the Midwest Division
Midwest Division (NBA)
The Midwest Division was a division in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division was created at the start of the 1970–71 season, when the league expanded from 14 to 17 teams with the addition of the Buffalo Braves, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail...
in his first four seasons. For the 2000–01 season, Abdur-Rahim finished with a 20 ppg-plus average for the fourth straight season and was ranked in the top 20 in 13 NBA statistical categories, once again leading the Grizzlies in both ppg and rpg. Abdur-Rahim's importance to the team was highlighted in a game against the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
on December 1, 2000, when he earned all of the 20 points scored by the Grizzlies in the final quarter of the game.
Atlanta Hawks
On June 27, 2001, the Atlanta HawksAtlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
reached an agreement to acquire Abdur-Rahim and the 27th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft
2001 NBA Draft
The 2001 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 2001 in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player drafted with the first overall pick...
from the Vancouver Grizzlies in exchange for Brevin Knight
Brevin Knight
Brevin Adon Knight is an American retired professional basketball point guard who played with nine teams in the NBA from 1997 to 2009. Knight played college basketball at Stanford University and was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1997...
, Lorenzen Wright
Lorenzen Wright
Lorenzen Vern-Gagne Wright was an American professional basketball player.-Early life and college:Raised in Oxford, Mississippi, Wright played all levels of basketball in Memphis – high school, collegiate and professional...
and Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol Sáez is a Spanish professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . He was born to Marisa Sáez and Agustí Gasol, and he spent his childhood in Spain...
, the third overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. Abdur-Rahim's return to his hometown, and expected partnership with sophomore Jason Terry
Jason Terry
Jason Eugene Terry is an American professional basketball player playing with the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. He plays shooting guard, although he also can play point guard. His nickname, "JET," derives from his initials...
, provided a significant amount of buzz around the league. While the Hawks finished the 2001–02 campaign with a 33–49 win-loss record, Abdur-Rahim's performances, including a career-high 50-point game, ensured that he would be selected to the NBA All-Star game
National Basketball Association All-Star Game
The National Basketball Association staged its first All-Star Game in the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. From that year on, the game has matched the best players in the Eastern Conference with the best players in the Western Conference....
for that season.
In his second season with the Hawks, Abdur-Rahim achieved another personal milestone on December 28, 2002, when his jump shot against the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
made him the fifth-youngest player in NBA history to reach 10,000-points. Although Glenn Robinson
Glenn Robinson
Glenn A. "Big Dog" Robinson is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He last played during the 2004–05 season.-Early life:...
, Jason Terry and Abdur-Rahim combined to average 57.9 ppg and become the highest-scoring trio in the league for the 2002–03 season
2002-03 NBA season
The 2002–03 NBA season was the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the San Antonio Spurs beating the New Jersey Nets 4-2 in the 2003 NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
, the Hawks failed to make the playoffs
2003 NBA Playoffs
The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2002-03 NBA season. This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series....
again. With an average of 19.9 ppg and 8.4 rpg, Abdur-Rahim played in all but one of the Hawks' games. By the end of the season, Hawks General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Billy Knight
Billy Knight
William R. "Billy" Knight is an American former professional basketball player who most recently served as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Basketball Association's Atlanta Hawks from 2003–08.Knight grew up in Braddock, a suburb of Pittsburgh, where he...
decided major changes had to be made for the franchise to move forward, and Abdur-Rahim was traded the next season.
Portland Trail Blazers
Along with Theo RatliffTheo Ratliff
Theophilus Curtis Ratliff , better known as Theo Ratliff, is an American professional basketball player who last played with the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers. Primarily a center, he was an excellent shot-blocker who has led the league three times in blocks per game...
and Dan Dickau
Dan Dickau
Daniel David "Dan" Dickau is an American professional basketball player.-Early life and college:Born in Portland, Oregon, Dickau graduated from Prairie High School in Brush Prairie, Washington. He played for the University of Washington Huskies prior to transferring to, and becoming a standout...
in exchange for Rasheed Wallace
Rasheed Wallace
Rasheed Abdul Wallace is a retired American professional basketball power forward and center who played from 1995 to 2010 in the National Basketball Association...
and Wesley Person
Wesley Person
Wesley Lavon Person is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.Selected by the Phoenix Suns 23rd overall in the 1994 NBA Draft out of Auburn University, he played three seasons for the Suns, five for the Cleveland Cavaliers, 82 games over two seasons for the Memphis Grizzlies,...
, Abdur-Rahim was sent to the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
on February 9, 2004. His impact in the two seasons with the Trail Blazers was considerably less than in previous seasons. His average was 16.3ppg/7.5rpg and 16.8/7.3rpg for the 2003–04
2003-04 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:*Most Valuable Player: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves*Rookie of the Year: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers*Defensive Player of the Year: Ron Artest, Indiana Pacers...
and 2004–05
2004-05 NBA season
The 2004–05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association . It began on November 2, 2004 and ended June 23, 2005. The season ended with the San Antonio Spurs defeating defending champion Detroit Pistons 4–3 in the NBA Finals....
campaigns respectively. At the end of the 2004–05 season, Abdur-Rahim became a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
.
During the 2005 off-season, he was traded via a sign and trade
Sign and trade
In U.S. basketball, a sign-and-trade agreement is a type of contract allowed in the NBA collective bargaining agreement, wherein one team signs an unrestricted free agent to a contract and trades him to another team of the players choosing...
agreement (in principle) to the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
for a first-round draft pick (which Portland planned to trade to the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
for Leandro Barbosa
Leandro Barbosa
Leandro Mateus Barbosa is a Brazilian professional basketball player, who plays at the guard position with Flamengo Basketball in Brazil. He is also under contract with the National Basketball Association's Toronto Raptors, and is expected to return to that team once the 2011 NBA lockout ends...
). On August 4, 2005, though the news conference
News conference
A news conference or press conference is a media event in which newsmakers invite journalists to hear them speak and, most often, ask questions. A joint press conference instead is held between two or more talking sides.-Practice:...
was planned to announce the postponement of his arrival, it was revealed that he failed a required physical due to scar tissue
Granulation tissue
Granulation tissue is the perfused, fibrous connective tissue that replaces a fibrin clot in healing wounds. Granulation tissue typically grows from the base of a wound and is able to fill wounds of almost any size it heals...
found in his knee. The trade was put on hold, pending a second opinion from other medical sources. On August 7, Abdur-Rahim was quoted saying: "I don't feel I want to be a Net". He felt the knee was a non-issue, claiming that he never missed a game in his entire career because of the knee injury. Two days later, it was announced that New Jersey decided to rescind
Rescission
In contract law, rescission has been defined as the unmaking of a contract between parties. Rescission is the unwinding of a transaction. This is done to bring the parties, as far as possible, back to the position in which they were before they entered into a contract .-In court:Rescission is an...
the trade.
Sacramento Kings
On August 12, 2005, Abdur-Rahim signed a free-agent contract with the Sacramento Kings. In his first season2005-06 NBA season
The 2005–06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. It began on November 1, 2005 and ran through April 19, 2006...
with them, Abdur-Rahim started in 30 of the 72 games he played. As a starter, he averaged 16.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg and 3.0 apg. He shot .543 for field goal percentage
Field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
, .417 from the three-point range, and almost .800 from the free throw line. The Kings went on to qualify for the 2006 playoffs
2006 NBA Playoffs
The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2005–06 season. The Miami Heat won the first championship in the history of the franchise by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals...
. Abdur-Rahim made his postseason career debut against the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
. At the same time, he ended a streak of having played the most number of games in NBA history without participating in the post-season. In his second season
2006-07 NBA season
The 2006–07 NBA season was the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. The regular season began on October 31, 2006 and ran through April 18, 2007. The league fielded 30 teams, each playing an 82 game regular season schedule. The top eight seeds from each conference reached the NBA...
with the Kings, Abdur-Rahim continued to be deployed as a sixth man
Sixth man
The sixth man in basketball is a player who is not a starter but comes off the bench much more often than other reserves, often being the first player to be substituted in. The sixth man often plays minutes equal to or exceeding some of the starters and posts similar statistics. He is often a...
; however, the Kings failed to secure a playoff berth as Abdur-Rahim recorded a career-low 1.7 ppg. The 2007–08 season
2007-08 NBA season
The 2007–08 NBA season was the 62nd season of the National Basketball Association. The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 30, 2007, and ended on Wednesday, April 16, 2008...
proved to be Abdur-Rahim's last, as he played only six games and his persistent knee injury forced him to announce his retirement on September 22, 2008. He joined the Sacramento Kings' coaching staff as an assistant the following week. On October 7, 2010 Abdur-Rahim was hired to be the assistant general manager for the Sacramento Kings.
International career
Prior to joining the NBA, Abdur-Rahim was the USA's leading scorer and rebounder at the 1994 COPABA Junior World Championship Qualifying Tournament held in Santa Rosa, ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. He averaged a double-double of 16.8 points and 10.1 rebounds. While trying for a team high in blocked shots
Block (basketball)
In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot...
averaging 1.6 blocks per game, he helped push the American squad to an 8–0 record, the gold medal, and a qualifying berth in the 1995 FIBA Junior World Championship. The following May he was named to USA Basketball's 1995 Junior Select Team that captured an 86–77 victory over an International Select Team in the inaugural Hoop Summit Game.
While playing for the Grizzlies, together with several NBA stars such as Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After a high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy which included winning a national player of the year award, he...
and Tim Hardaway
Tim Hardaway
Timothy Duane "Tim" Hardaway is a retired American basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association and who in his prime was one of the league's best point guards...
, Abdur-Rahim was selected to be part of the USA Men's basketball team which won the gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney, Australia.
Personal life
Abdur-Rahim and his wife Delicia have two children: a son, Jabri, and a daughter, Samiyah. Abdur-Rahim has started his own foundationFoundation (charity)
A foundation is a legal categorization of nonprofit organizations that will typically either donate funds and support to other organizations, or provide the source of funding for its own charitable purposes....
, the Future Foundation, which provides after school and other support services for youth at-risk in Atlanta. On television, Abdur-Rahim has appeared on an episode of The Jamie Foxx Show
The Jamie Foxx Show
The Jamie Foxx Show is an American television sitcom that aired on the WB Network from August 28, 1996 to January 14, 2001. The series starred Jamie Foxx, Garcelle Beauvais, Christopher B. Duncan, Ellia English, and Garrett Morris.-Synopsis:...
with fellow NBA players Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
and Vin Baker
Vin Baker
Vincent Lamont Baker is a former American professional basketball player who played in the NBA. He appeared in four consecutive All-Star Games before his career was halted due to alcoholism....
.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 1996–97
| align="left" | Vancouver
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
| 80 || 71 || 35.0 || .453 || .259 || .746 || 6.9 || 2.2 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 18.7
|-
| align="left" | 1997–98
| align="left" | Vancouver
| 82 || 82 || 36.0 || .485 || .412 || .784 || 7.1 || 2.6 || 1.1 || .9 || 22.3
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Vancouver
| 50 || 50 || 40.4 || .432 || .306 || .841 || 7.5 || 3.4 || 1.4 || 1.1 || 23.0
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" | Vancouver
| 82 || 82 || 39.3 || .465 || .302 || .809 || 10.1 || 3.3 || 1.1 || 1.1 || 20.3
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Vancouver
| 81 || 81 || 40.0 || .472 || .188 || .834 || 9.1 || 3.1 || 1.1 || .9 || 20.5
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Atlanta
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
| 77 || 77 || 38.7 || .461 || .300 || .801 || 9.0 || 3.1 || 1.3 || 1.0 || 21.2
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Atlanta
| 81 || 81 || 38.1 || .478 || .350 || .841 || 8.4 || 3.0 || 1.1 || .5 || 19.9
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Atlanta
| 53 || 53 || 36.9 || .485 || .217 || .880 || 9.3 || 2.4 || .8 || .4 || 20.1
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Portland
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
| 32 || 3 || 22.8 || .447 || .364 || .832 || 4.5 || 1.5 || .8 || .6 || 10.0
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Portland
| 54 || 49 || 34.6 || .503 || .385 || .866 || 7.3 || 2.1 || .9 || .5 || 16.8
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Sacramento
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 72 || 30 || 27.2 || .525 || .227 || .784 || 5.0 || 2.1 || .7 || .6 || 12.3
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 80 || 45 || 25.2 || .474 || .150 || .726 || 5.0 || 1.4 || .7 || .5 || 9.9
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 6 || 0 || 8.5 || .214 || .000 || 1.000 || 1.7 || .7 || .2 || .0 || 1.7
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 830 || 704 || 34.8 || .472 || .297 || .810 || 7.5 || 2.5 || 1.0 || .7 || 18.1
|-
| align="left" | All-Star
| align="left" |
| 1 || 0 || 21.0 || 1.000 || 1.000 || .000 || 6.0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || 9.0
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2005–06
2006 NBA Playoffs
The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2005–06 season. The Miami Heat won the first championship in the history of the franchise by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals...
| align="left" | Sacramento
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 6 || 0 || 21.5 || .535 || .000 || .600 || 4.8 || 1.2 || .3 || .0 || 9.2
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 6 || 0 || 21.5 || .535 || .000 || .600 || 4.8 || 1.2 || .3 || .0 || 9.2