Shareef Abdur-Rahim

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Lore & Background

Abdur-Rahim played both the forward and center positions during his career. He emerged as a prospect at Joseph Wheeler High School in his hometown of Marietta, Georgia. Abdur-Rahim played for the California Golden Bears during the 1995–96 season before he entered the 1996 NBA draft. He was selected third overall by the Vancouver Grizzlies where he was the star of the team during his early NBA career. Abdur-Rahim played on the United States men's national basketball team that won the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He was traded by the Grizzlies in 2001 to the Atlanta Hawks with whom he made his only NBA All-Star appearance in the 2001–02 season. Abdur-Rahim was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in 2004 before he signed with his last team, the Sacramento Kings, in 2008. Despite the fact that he achieved solid statistics throughout his career, Abdur-Rahim had played the second most games in NBA history without making a playoff appearance (744) until he made the playoffs for the first and only time in 2006. Following persistent injuries to his right knee, Abdur-Rahim announced his retirement from playing basketball in 2008. He finished with the lowest career plus–minus in NBA history at -2,904, a record that still stands as of the 2024–25 season.

In Their Own Story

The early years in Vancouver were defined by struggle, yet Abdur-Rahim shone brightly amidst the losses. In the 1996–97 season, he led the Grizzlies in scoring on 33 occasions and in rebounding 23 times, carrying a roster that won only 14 games overall. Despite Brian Winters being replaced by Stu Jackson mid-season after just 43 games, Abdur-Rahim remained the team's most reliable offensive option. Even as attendance fluctuated and the Canadian dollar weakened, his presence offered hope. He was one of the few bright spots in a period where the Grizzlies never qualified for the playoffs and won less than 30% of their games each season.

Reader's Guide

Abdur-Rahim was selected third overall by the Vancouver Grizzlies in the 1996 Draft, behind Allen Iverson and Marcus Camby. He made an immediate impact playing for the Grizzlies, becoming the team's leading scorer while setting a franchise record of 18.7 points per game. He also averaged 6.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. On January 11, 1997, Abdur-Rahim scored a season high 37 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in a 109–101 loss against the Kings. He finished third in balloting for the Schick NBA Rookie of the Year behind Philadelphia's Allen Iverson and Minnesota's Stephon Marbury, and he was picked for the All-Rookie First Team. By the end of the 1996–97 season, Abdur-Rahim led the team in scoring on 33 occasions, and rebounding on 23 occasions. For the next few seasons, Abdur-Rahim remained the centerpiece of the Grizzlies team. In his sophomore season, he averaged 22.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. The following season, he elevated his performance with 23.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. On February 17, 1999, Abdur-Rahim scored a then career high 39 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and recorded 5 assists in a 131-129 triple overtime loss against the Celtics. Despite his best efforts, the Grizzlies remained at the bottom two spots of the Midwest Division in his first four seasons. In the 2000–01 season, Abdur-Rahim finished with a 20.5-point average for the fourth straight season and was ranked in the top 20 in 13 NBA statistical categories, once again leading the Grizzlies in both points and rebounds per game. Abdur-Rahim's importance to the team was highlighted in a game against the Indiana Pacers on December 1, 2000, when he earned all of the 20 points scored by the Grizzlies in the final quarter of the game. On June 27, 2001, the Atlanta Hawks reached an agreement to acquire Abdur-Rahim and the 27th overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft from the Vancouver Grizzlies in exchange for Brevin Knight, Lorenzen Wright and Pau Gasol, the third overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. Abdur-Rahim's return to his hometown, and expected partnership with sophomore Jason Terry, provided a significant amount of buzz around the league. While the Hawks finished the 2001–02 campaign with a 33–49 win–loss record, Abdur-Rahim's performances, including a career-high 50-point game, ensured that he would be selected to the NBA All-Star game for that se

Did You Know?

• Abdur-Rahim was the first freshman in Pac-10 history to win Conference Player of the Year honors.
• He set single-season freshman records at California for points, scoring average, field goals, and free throws.
• Abdur-Rahim finished with the lowest career plus–minus in NBA history at -2,904, a record that still stands as of the 2024–25 season.
• He played the second most games in NBA history without making a playoff appearance (744) before making the playoffs for the first and only time in 2006.