Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

Celebrated author and Nation magazine sports editor Dave Zirin tackles the myth that the NFL was somehow free of politics before Colin Kaepernick and other Black NFL players took a knee.

Raw and unflinching examination of the courageous life of basketball star and social justice activist Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. Born Chris Jackson, he overcame tremendous adversity to reach the NBA and found his true calling when he converted to Islam. His decision not to stand for the national anthem, however, turned him from prodigy to pariah. Told candidly by Abdul-Rauf himself more than 20 years later it’s the remarkable story of one man who kept the faith and paved the way for a social justice movement.

Men among giants, the NBA's little big men are the unsung heroes of the court. Defying the odds, these players rise to levels above and beyond even their own expectations. Marvel at the men who beat the odds to make it in a big man's game: Mark Price's amazing long-range shooting, Spud Webb's incredible dunks, and Tim Hardaway's killer cross-over.

An inside look at the changing role of athletes in our fraught cultural and political environment, through the lens of the NBA.