Why did ex-NBA player Chris Jackson change his name to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf?

Former NBA player Chris Jackson is among the few notable NBA players who changed their names during their careers. He changed it to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. The 1993 Most Improved Player was the #3 pick in the 1990 NBA draft. Abdul-Rauf officially changed his name in 1993 after converting to Islam in 1991.

The former Denver Nuggets player took the step after spending most of his time reading and learning about new things off the court. He traveled a lot and often engaged in conversations based on philosophies and religion. Abdul-Rauf read the Q'uran, leading to his conversion into a Muslim. He was fascinated by the religious learnings from the book. Here's what he once said about it (via The Guardian):

“I had to catch myself because I found that I was enjoying reading more than I was enjoying going to the gym. Because I was so excited, like, ‘Man, I can’t wait to get back into this book!’ It was a whole other world for me.”

Despite his time away from the gym off the court, Abdul-Rauf enjoyed a decent stint as an NBA player. He averaged 14.6 points per game in his nine seasons in the league. He was one of the best free-throw shooters in the NBA.

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf played for the Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings and Vancouver Grizzlies.

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Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf's career was dominated by controversies

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf did things differently. Some major issues got him blackballed by the league. Abdul-Rauf refused to stand for the national anthem for several years after he changed his name. Here's what his reasoning was (via The Guardian):

“I’m a Muslim first and a Muslim last... My duty is to my creator, not to nationalistic ideology.”

Abdul-Rauf was suspended in 1996 for protesting against American oppression and tyranny. He came to a mutual understanding with the league, which allowed him to return to the court.

However, his tenure in the NBA didn't last long. Abdul-Rauf continued to stay put with his actions and spoke up about issues he felt needed to be brought up. He eventually played overseas and finished his career abroad.