Mahmoud Abdur-Rauf Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (born Chris Wayne Jackson on March 9, 1969 in Gulfport, Mississippi) is an American former professional basketball player. Abdul-Rauf changed his name in 1991 upon his conversion to Islam. He attended Louisiana State University and was selected with the third pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. He played with Denver until 1995, and was a key player on that team, winning the Most Improved Player award in 1993. Abdul-Rauf later went on to play for the Sacramento Kings and later the Vancouver Grizzlies. He led the league in free-throw percentage in 1994 and 1996. After his departure from NBA, he had spent time playing professional basketball in Europe.
Since retiring from NBA, he has built a mosque in his home town of Gulfport, Mississippi, and has become an Imam.
Abdul-Rauf was also a role model in overcoming the challenge of Tourette syndrome to have an athletic career.
