At 5'3", Muggsy Bogues didn't just become the shortest player to ever play in the NBA, he became a legend on the court for 14 seasons and beloved by fans around the globe.
After being drafted by and playing one season with the Washington Bullets, Bogues spent his brilliant career with the Charlotte Hornets. He also played for the Golden State Warrior and Toronto Raptors. The product of Dunbar High School and Wake Forest University finished in the top seven in assists in six consecutive NBA seasons (1989-1995) , and in the top ten in steals in three of those seasons. The feisty point guard flashed his way to 146 career NBA double-doubles.
Now, Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues is going back to his roots in Baltimore to lead a team in NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady's re-launched OBL (Ones Basketball League.
Bogues was the most recent guest on the nationally-recognized podcast SportsJam with Doug Doyle and talked about the opportunity to be a part of his former Raptors teammate Tracy McGrady's plan to give players an opportunity to showcase their skills in an 8-city 1 vs. 1 competition.
"When we started being teammates with one another, I mean we just got close and became good friends. I grateful and honored to lace it up with my great friend who also has this vision to be able to create this platform for these kids. It's just amazing."
In his autobiography, In the Land of Giants, was released in 1994, Bogues recounts the struggles of growing up in a tough inner-city Baltimore. He says those difficult circumstances motivated him to achieve success on and off the court.
"It's what just the lifestyle I was brought into. I think every kid who is trying to pursue a dream is going to have a chip on his shoulder. For me it was unusual that I chose that route. Normally, a guy my size would stay away from the do's the the don'ts of the game of basketball because of the perception back then was always about big guards and that you had to be tall in order to play. I ignored all of that."
Bogues fondly remembers his tremendous success at Dunbar High School. He's thrilled to be now in charge of the OBL's Baltimore team which consists of four players. What does it take to make it in the OBL.
"For one, you have to have talent, but I think there's a strategy behind it as well. You got to be in good shape to compete in this league because of the way the rules are. It's not a "make it take it' league. You alternate possessions. You only get ten seconds on the clock. It's all we grew up on playing the game of basketball. So when Tracy mentioned he was re-launching the league I was all over it."
The 32 players come from a wide variety of places and level of experience, ranging from Division I, II and III to the NBA G League and overseas veterans. The full rosters can be seen here:
The OBL runs from May 15 to June 30, with teams competing for the swagger, pride, and identity of every city represented.
Here's the list of the impressive group of owners in the OBL this season.
- Team Orlando- Vince Carter, Basketball Hall of Famer
- Team Washington, DC – Quinn Cook, two-time NBA Champion
- Team Miami – Tim Hardaway Sr., five-time NBA All-Star
- Team New York – Jadakiss, recording star and basketball insider
- Team Chicago – Larenz Tate, actor, film producer, basketball aficionado
- Team Raleigh – John Wall, five-time NBA All-Star
- Team Atlanta – Jaylen Brown, star of the Boston Celtics
- Team Baltimore – Muggsy Bogues, 14 year NBA veteran
You can SEE the entire SportsJam interview with Muggsy Bogues below:
