"I was able to set the tone for the non-believers" - Muggsy Bogues on being an inspirational NBA figure
At 5-foot-3, Muggsy Bogues proved that he could compete with players almost double his size in the NBA. He is well aware of how he inspired short guys to pursue a basketball career despite their lack of height, but people still remind him about how he changed lives almost every time.
"You hear that all the time. The career that I had and the non-believers that I had -- I won over a lot of them. Especially when I was able to set the tone for the non-believers, those who were wishing and wanting and never had the courage trying," Bogues told Star Tribune in 2011. "I get letters today still telling me how much I was an inspiration in their lives, seeing what I was able to go through."
Muggsy was always confident
Growing up in Baltimore, Maryland, Bogues never really had a staple mentor in his life and career. Nevertheless, he never felt that basketball was not for him.
According to Muggsy, he was blessed to be gifted with the confidence and mental toughness he needed to be able to overcome negativities and adversaries. He was even fortunate to find another short guy in his high school who somehow made him feel that he wasn't alone.
"I inspired myself," Bogues reflected. "I was self-motivated because it was hard to find someone of my stature to play the way I played. Fortunately enough for myself, I had another small guy at my high school, and he gave me my nickname. He was like 5-5, 5-6, and he played for the same high school. Watching him gave me inspiration."
What if Muggsy was taller?
Bogues' NBA career did not begin and end as being the shortest player in the history of the league. In fact, he is still the Charlotte Hornets' all-time leader in career assists and steals.
With that in mind, Bogues is at peace with his legacy and career. Never once did he wish to be a few inches taller, but if he was a 6-footer per se, Muggsy said there was no telling what more he could've done on the court.
"If God would've made me 6-feet, I would've taken advantage of that height as well. I don't think anything would've changed in terms of my approach to the game, but I probably would've been a little more dominant! (laughs)," Bogues once said.
Having known how many people have been inspired by Muggsy Bogues, perhaps, it's safe to say there was a reason why he only stands at 5-foot-3.
