In today’s text we are going to talk about the story of Muggsy Bogues, the shortest athlete in NBA history, at 1.60 m. He was an extremely skilled point guard who compensated for his short stature with great technical quality and game vision.
We will look back on his personal life, career and his net worth, so if you are interested to find out more about him, here is a perfect opportunity.
Early Years
Muggsy Bogues was born on January 9th 1965 in Baltimore in Maryland. Bogues was born and raised in Baltimore by his mother since his father was in prison. He started playing basketball at Dunbar High School, along with other NBA athletes, such as David Wingate, Reggie Lewis and Reggie Williams. The team finished the 81/82 season with a record of 29-0 and the following season with 31-0, becoming the number one team in the country.
By the end of his college career, he was the ACC leader in the history of steals and assists. His good performance earned him a place in the national team, in 1986 he was world champion with the American team.
After a spell playing for Rhode Island Gulls at USBL, he was selected as the 12th position of the 1987 Draft and he was chosen by the Washington Bullets and was part of one of Draft’s most talented classes, which included Reggie Miller, David Robinson, Scottie Pippen and Kevin. Johnson. In his first season he was a teammate of Manute Bol (2.31 m), forming a duo with the highest and lowest players in history, having 71 cm difference between the two.
Despite his small stature, he blocked 39 career throws, including a shot at Patrick Ewing who was 2.13 m. He jumped 1.10 meters but had too small hands to hold the ball with one hand and bury.
In the 1988-89 season, Bogues had no proposed renewal of the Bullets, and Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets were newly created franchises, the Hornets hired the short guard. With Charlotte’s team he made himself as a great passer, a great ball thief, and one of the quickest players in history.
Career Path
Bogues played 10 years for the Hornets, and led by Alonzo Mouring and Larry Johnson, the franchise has become one of the most famous in history. In the 1997/98 season he played two matches and was exchanged, playing for the Golden State Warriors for two seasons, where he ended his career. Although it was negotiated for the Knicks and the Mavs, but where it did not even act.
Even ending his career with averages of 7.7 points, 7.6 assists and 1.5 steals, Bogues’ style of play and stature made him an NBA legend. It is obvious that it could not be without this tribute.
As baskets they used a milk basket hanging on a fence. And Muggsy he was damn talented, so gifted that he integrated high school into the great basketball program at the other end of the city. In addition it was great, Tyrone found his friends David Wingate and Reggie Williams. In addition to the team there was also Reggie Lewis. Tyrone was the leader of Dunbar’s poets.
In 1981-82 at the head of the team during his junior season he took the poets to an incredible record of 29 wins for 0 defeat. Rebelote the year after, in his senior year his Dunbar team was even the best team in the country (according to USA Today) with a record of 31 wins and no losses.
The beginnings of our hero in the great University of Demon Deacons were difficult. His year of freshmen he passed on the bench and played a total of 312 minutes in 32 games, one minute per game, insufficient to show his talent. But Muggsy was not discouraged, he wanted to show everyone his talent and he was able to lead a great team.
The work will pay, and in his second year he will write the first pages of “The Human Assist” the decisive human pass. A hero was born, the little Tyrone Bogues had become titular and indisputable to lead to the point that he almost never left the field (35.3 minutes per game out of 40 possible). His brilliance, tenacity, vivacity and vision of games were the main power of the number 14 Demon Deacons.
For this he used his secret boot that confers his unusual physique, an incredible speed of arms and legs coupled to a very low center of gravity (and a relaxation that could compensate for its size). Like a “mugger” (a street thief) he rushed on the opposing leaders to try to steal the ball.
During his last two years at the university he honed his powers to achieve his dream, play in the league of the great. However Muggsy was well aware that he had in the eyes of others a weak point, his size. But Muggsy he knew from the beginning, he would never be big. His mother was 1.48 m tall and his father 1.66 m tall.
He finished both seasons with rising statistics (although Wake Forest was struggling). 11.3 points, 8.4 assists and 3.1 interceptions in 1985-86 then 14.8 points, 9.5 assists and 2.4 steals. He was elected in his senior season in the first five of the Atlantic Coast Conference. In 1987, the NCAA awarded him the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, which was awarded to the best junior university player. At the same time, he beat the conference record with 579 assists. Wake Forest honored our superhero by removing his number 14.
In 1986 he crossed the Atlantic to Spain with the American team to participate in the world championships. His selection proved once again that he was one of the best leaders of his generation. The USA brought back the title and he Tyrone made a reputation in Europe. He was quickly given the nickname Electric Pile, so fast was his activity impressed the European fans. He scored in the championship 4.2 points, 4.2 assists and especially 3.7 interceptions for 10 games played,
His exploits ensured him a place in the NBA, but a team would she trust a little man to lead a team in the league of the greatest? Many were convinced, his many qualities could only make him a great leader of the league.
And on this day of draft 1987 it was not until the 12th choice to see the Washington Bullets select Muggsy. Barely raised from his seat he already won the hearts of all NBA fans.
In Washington Tyrone found another superhero, Manute Bol, all his opposite. Manute it was 2.31 m, a true liana, 71 centimeters more than Tyrone. Manute and Muggsy posed for several magazine covers.
The Bullets have probably fallen into the trap of the fair phenomenon, our super hero was more put forward for his small size than for his minutes on the floor. Tyrone nevertheless made his 20 minutes on the floor with 5 points, 5.1 assists, 1.6 interceptions and only 1.3 balloons lost.
But a superhero, it’s always a shot of destiny, an event that comes to shake everything up. This upheaval is the creation of Charlotte Hornets, the team of her adopted region, North Carolina. The Bullets did not trust him and left him unprotected for the draft expansion of 1988 (after the creation of the Miami and Charlotte franchises) Charlotte jumped at the chance and chose it in 6th position.
He shared the first year with Mike Holton, another good smuggler. Tyrone came out of the bench every night to distribute the caviars and steal balls with amazing regularity: 7.8 assists and 1.4 steals in just 22.2 minutes. It was then confirmed that few people finally thought, but of which he was convinced, his size was not a weak point.
The following season (1998-99), that of the lockout was the same, although Golden got away with an honorable record of 21 wins for 29 losses. In just 19.8 minutes of play he scored 5.1 points and 3.7 assists, far from his hours of glory. At the inter-season he was transferred to Canada at the Toronto Raptors. Along with Vince Carter, he made his final baroud d’honneur.
He still played 80 games for stats comparable to the previous season: 5.1 points (with a point at 24 against Boston) and 3.7 assists in 21.6 minutes in a team that hung the playoffs, but a Once again Muggsy did not go far, he did not even see the second round.
At the age of 35, the end was close and in the 2000-2001 season he played only 3 games. He even went to New York and Dallas but did not play any game. He drew his bow to the world of high-level basketball. Bogues is still the smallest player ever to have played in the NBA, which did not stop him from winning 39 blocks and shining in the league.
Muggsy’s net worth was estimated at around 15$ million. His career might be over, but he definitely went in the history as one of the most skillful and talented players in NBA history.
Personal life
Besides being a great professional basketball player, he also appeared in Space Jam movie. He portrayed one of the players alongside with Shawn Bradley and Charles Barkley.
He also appeared in Eddie together with Whoopi Goldberg. Muggsy appeared in an episode of Hang Time where he talked about steroids and how harmful they can be.
Quick summary
Full name: Muggsy Bouges
Date of birth: January 9th 1965
Birthplace: Baltimore, Marryland
Age: 54
Profession: Professional basketball player
Height: 1.60 m
Weight: 61 kg
Net Worth: 15$ million
