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But even before they’d connected that weekend, Mazzulla said he felt like he knew Holiday because of their shared Christian faith. More specifically, Mazzulla would often use a mobile app that featured Holiday reading Bible verses to users. “His voice is on the app, reading verses, and I would listen to it,” Mazzulla told The Athletic. “So I’ve always had, like, a spiritual connection to him.”
You had a Muslim teammate with the Orlando Magic in Tariq Abdul-Wahad. Abdul-Wahad once said that former Magic head coach Doc Rivers stopped team prayers before games because it made him feel uncomfortable because they weren’t of the Muslim faith. What do you recall from that and what did you learn? Monty Williams: It didn’t bother me at all because I was not that immature where I couldn’t respect somebody who thought differently or had a different value system or a different religion. And what people didn’t know, Tariq and I were the best teammates, and we were starters at the time. So, we worked together a lot. I respected the heck out of his discipline. He was really disciplined in his faith. And there were times where we would have conversations and we would just agree to disagree, but it was cordial. And I always respected, No. 1, he had game. And, two, I just had a respect for his discipline. But when Doc did that, I totally got it.
Marc J. Spears: The Hawks say the Pope wanted to acknowledge the stand #NBA players took in support of #BLM. Vatican reached out 1/7 asking for MLK Hawks jerseys the Pope could pray a blessing over on MLK Day. Pope also met with 5 players November praising their fight against social injustice. pic.twitter.com/N41r8Dr1MV
The Hawks say the Pope wanted to acknowledge the stand #NBA players took in support of #BLM. Vatican reached out 1/7 asking for MLK Hawks jerseys the Pope could pray a blessing over on MLK Day. Pope also met with 5 players November praising their fight against social injustice. pic.twitter.com/N41r8Dr1MV
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) January 15, 2021
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For a segment of people outside Philadelphia, to one of the NBA’s most widely known former referees, an on-court adjudicator considered for many of his 25 years to be one of the league’s toughest officials and quickest whistles. Dread not, says Steve Javie, ordained deacon at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Newtown, Pa.
“People are afraid of what’s going to happen,” Javie said in a phone interview last week. “They’re afraid of the economics, they’re afraid to go out of the house. You have to give them hope that this thing will pass. Now’s the time -- this was a lot of my [recent] homily -- to trust in the Lord.”
They could not be there in person, but then, in Javie’s current pursuit, in spirit is what really matters anyway. “Use the time now not just to watch things on Netflix or spend idle time on your computer, but to get closer to the Lord,” Javie responded when asked for isolation tips. “Take time with the family, set time aside to read scripture and talk about it. ‘What does it mean?’ “My role is about giving hope, saying ‘trust in the Lord’ and then reconnecting at a time when they’re telling us to disconnect with each other.”
What is your view on extremist groups who say they are Muslim? Faried: To me it’s like, ‘Hey you have extremist Christians.’ So you have debates for both sides. As long as you don’t in a sense try to disrespect my faith and beliefs, like I’m OK with it. I can’t control what you’re doing and what you believe in. Kanter: It sucks, man. The majority, almost all, Muslims are peaceful. But you have radicals who do stupid things that no Muslims approve of and they become the face of Muslims in the media. Most Muslims I know donate money to charity, and help others. They are good neighbors.
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What has been the typical reaction from teammates, coaches and executives when they find out you are Muslim? Abdul-Rauf: Initially, when I became a Muslim, it wasn’t looked at as a threat … And [people] say they’re Christians or they’re Jews, but you don’t necessarily see them practicing it, according to scripture. So, when I first became Muslim there was nothing. No concern on their faces. But when they saw me, ‘Hold on this guy is actually praying? He’s trying to find a closet and places to pray, talking about fasting.’ You know they had concerns about that, like, ‘I don’t think that’ll be a good thing.’ And, when they see you really trying to practice what you say you’re about, that’s when you start to see a little bit of the resistance as if though you’re not in this country club atmosphere.
Faried: It’s not really that big of a deal. It’s not as before where, if you’re Muslim coming into the league then you’re looked down upon or disrespected. It’s more so hey, whatever religion you are it doesn’t matter. … So, for me it doesn’t really matter what you are, it just matters how you play the game. And that’s all they care about. Kanter: The NBA is like a family, people are respectful of my faith, and the faith of others. The NBA is inclusive and you can be yourself. Most treat me just like everyone else.
Today, all 30 N.B.A. teams have volunteer chaplains. One hour before every game, inside every arena, players from both sides are invited to attend a closed-door meeting in some designated corner of the building. The sessions usually last no more than 15 minutes. For some players, attending chapel service has become as much a part of their pregame routine as having an ankle taped.
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