Recently I was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. I am honored to be included in the amazing group of 2024 inductees and the many past greats who are in the GSHOF. I am thankful for the many people who believed and invested in me throughout my journey. I know this recognition is not one I reached on my own. I thank God and the many people who played pivotal roles in my growth over the years.
My father, William Abdur-Rahim, raised my siblings and me on faith, family, and community, and sports were connected in every aspect of our lives; he taught us about the ups and downs of life through sports. He would tell me as a young kid that I was the best – he told me that because he knew I needed the encouragement!
My mother, Deborah Hester, supported my brother, sister, and me in everything we did- I can’t remember her missing a game performance for any of us; my mother gave me my love for basketball. She would stay up with me watching games; she was a big Boston Celtics fan and made me a Celtics fan until I was old enough to understand loyalty to your hometown and I became a Hawks and Dominique fan.
My brother and sisters pushed me to improve, and my older sister, Aminah, allowed me to hang around and watch the older guys play at her high school. My sister Qaadirah was easily the best athlete in our family and always wanted to make my younger brothers and sisters proud. My younger brother, Amir, is now the head coach at South Florida– it is so cool to be his brother.
Again, I am a product of so many people investing in me, and no one played a bigger role in my growth as a young man than my high school coach, Doug Lipscomb. He is one of the great high school coaches in Georgia basketball history. I still have not met anyone who hated losing more than him. He made us believe we could win! He made me accountable for doing the right things. I remember being invited to the Atlanta tip-off club ceremony, not having a suit, and Coach taking me over to the West End to get me a suit.
Last but definitely not least, my wife, Dee Dee, who supported our family and me and celebrated me when I needed it and picked me up when I needed it. She told me years after I retired from playing how difficult I was to be around during the season because I would take what happened in the games so personal. I thank her for her patience and understanding. She is now doing the same for our children, who are student-athletes.
As I reflect on everything that has led me here, I remember it was back on the community center courts in East Point, Georgia, that I fell in love with basketball, and it’s been an incredible journey since. Basketball has taken me so many places; UC Berkeley where I earned a scholarship, degree, and met lifelong friends, including my wife, the NBA where I lived out a lifelong dream, playing all over the world, including representing the US in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The opportunity I have had to continue to contribute to the growth of basketball as an NBA team executive and now as President of the NBA G League.
The greatest gift that basketball and sports have given me is understanding the power of teamwork and sharing with others. In 2001 when I came to play for my hometown Atlanta Hawks, my wife, sister and I established the Future Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to Atlanta’s most underfunded schools and communities. Through Future Foundation, I am hopefully extending the same support and encouragement that was given to me and led to my induction to GSHOF.
I express my gratitude to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame for this honor. To share this moment with family and friends is a privilege beyond measure. I’m eager to see the next chapter and the countless stories yet to unfold in Georgia sports.
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