On Saturday, LSU held a jersey retirement ceremony for former guard Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. While playing at LSU, Abdul-Rauf was known as Chris Jackson. Abdul- Rauf played two seasons with the LSU Tigers and displayed a legacy career during his tenure.

1988-89

In his freshman season, Abdul-Rauf averaged 30.2 points per game on 48% shooting from the field. Also, he shot 38% percent from behind the arch. In his third game at LSU, Abdul-Rauf scored 48 points against Louisiana Tech. Later that year, he scored 55 points against Ole Miss while also making ten three-point shots. Abdul-Rauf’s 30.2 points per game as a freshman is a record for most points per game as a freshman.

1989-90

Abdul-Rauf followed his freshman season with a solid sophomore campaign. In his second year at LSU, Abdul-Rauf averaged 27.8 on 46% from the field and 35% from the three-point land.

The former LSU star finished his college career averaging 29 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. Abdul-Rauf was a two-time All-American and two-time Sec Player of the Year.

Abdul-Rauf had this to say about the ceremony, ” Never could i have written this story for myself. To be in this position, 30 years later, and have my jersey retired, I’m deeply grateful. I always have been.”

After his time at LSU, Abdul Rauf went on to play nine seasons in the NBA. He played for the Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings, and the Vancouver Grizzlies. During his nine-seasons, the former Nuggets guard averaged 14.6 points per game. Abdul-Rauf has been a member of Ice Cubes Big 3 basketball league the past couple of years, and he still has his ability to shoot and handle the basketball.

Abdul-Rauf was known for his crafty ball-handling and ability to shot from deep, much like Stephen Curry is now. While at LSU, he would pull up from anywhere and drain three’s and use his ball-handling ability to create space to shoot the ball. Abdul-Rauf will go down as one of the best college basketball players ever, and his jersey now hangs with LSU greats Pete Maravich, Bob Pettit, Rudy Macklin, and Shaquille O’Neal.