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.
Acting
Abdul-Rauf's own narration—no filter, no ghostwriter
Direction
Lyons lets silence land like a missed free throw
Editing
Brutal '90s news footage vs. present-day calm
Director
Joslyn Rose Lyons
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Abdul-Rauf's 51-point game in 1995 remains one of only 12 fifty-point games in Sacramento Kings history.
The NBA's suspension of Abdul-Rauf in 1996 directly influenced the 2017 policy that attempted to force players to stand—proving the league learned nothing. The documentary dropped the same month Kyrie Irving was suspended for antisemitic comments, making its timing almost uncomfortably relevant.
US
