Can Mustafa Shakur Finally Stick?
What a long, strange trip it’s been for Mustafa Shakur. Following college graduation from Arizona in May of 2007, Shakur’s journey to reach the NBA has included short-term signings with four different teams (Sacramento Kings, Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Hornets and Washington Wizards), stints with the NBA Development League (Rio Grande Valley Vipers and Tulsa 66ers) and Euroleague clubs (Spain, Greece and Poland), plus NBA Summer League appearances (Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers).
Finally, after nearly four years of bouncing in and around this game, 26-year-old Shakur logged his first minutes on an NBA court.
Let’s back up. Shakur played four successful years at Arizona, posting career averages of 10.1 points, 5.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals; the 6’3" point guard enjoyed a starting role in 129 games out of a total 131 played. During his tenure at UA, his teammates included such current NBA players as Andre Iguodala, Channing Frye, Jordan Hill and Chase Budinger. Although he was ranked third in the nation in assists in his senior year (6.9) and was projected to be drafted in the second round, Shakur did not hear his name called in the 2007 NBA draft.
The Kings signed him as an undrafted free agent in July, 2007 (and released him after their season opener), and thus began his trail in Europe over the next two years.
When the Oklahoma City Thunder-affiliated Tulsa 66ers drafted him (first pick, second round) in November 2009, Shakur embraced the opportunity of playing in the NBA’s Development League. He garnered attention with season averages of 19.2 points, 6.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds and being named a 2010 D-League All-Star. The Thunder called him up twice to 10-day contracts in March of 2010 though he never appeared in a game, plus he was a member of their 2010 Summer League roster (five games – 10.2 ppg, 3.6 apg at 19.8 mpg).
"He’s a terrific kid," Thunder coach Scott Brooks told HOOPSWORLD. "He’s a great kid that works hard, and he gave us a lot of good energy in practice."
When we asked Brooks what he saw in Shakur during his Oklahoma City stint, the head coach took a long pause, then said: "Toughness."
"I think when you don’t make it out of college the first year, you have to have that toughness because it’s easy to just walk away and move on to your next phase in life," explained Brooks. "I think he’s been four years in the minor leagues or overseas. If you don’t have that toughness, you’re never gonna get that opportunity."
The Hornets signed Shakur to a partially guaranteed deal in August, 2010, but he failed to make the roster. He then landed again in the D-League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers for the 2010-11 season; through 23 games, he’s posted averages of 16.7 points, 5 assists and 4.7 boards.
Shakur was recently in North Dakota playing back-to-back games for the Vipers when an unexpected phone call came from his agent. The Washington Wizards had signed him to a ten-day contract, and he was expected in D.C. right away to suit up for their game that night against the Boston Celtics. The Wizards had just lost Kirk Hinrich to an elbow injury, and the only healthy point guard was John Wall.
Incredibly, Shakur arrived in time to help the Wizards beat the Eastern Conference top-ranked Celtics, 85-83. He played just over ten minutes, scoring five points, dishing out five dimes, grabbing two rebounds and making two blocks.
More attention was probably directed toward his hastily-put-together, badly-fitting jersey than to his solid contributions. A Celtics employee had little time to stitch his name and number on his jersey properly, and it showed. Shakur even had to borrow shoes to wear in his first NBA game, because his were locked up in that North Dakota arena in anticipation of what he thought would be next night’s game.
Shakur didn’t care about any of those things. He was finally getting his chance on the big stage.
"When it first happened, everything just happened so fast because, you know, I came off the road," he shared with us. "In Dakota, we were on the road and I got the news at 3:00 p.m., and we had to play at 7:00 p.m."
That may have turned out to be the best possible scenario. Foremost on his mind was just scrambling to get there after logging 42:01 minutes of playing time with the Vipers the night before.
"I really didn’t have time to think ‘Oh, we’re playing Boston’. It really didn’t affect me until afterwards."
{AUTHOR_BOX}Following the win, Wizards coach Flip Saunders said Shakur could have been named player of the game with his ability to keep the score from getting out of control. Saunders was impressed with his ability to create his own shot and his comfortableness on the floor, especially from a player who literally just arrived on the scene. In other words, he sure didn’t play like a rookie.
"Man, it felt great," Shakur recalled. "I don’t think it really hit me until a couple days later."
Saunders has been clear with Shakur about what he expects to see from him during his tenure.
"Fortunately, he’s not asking anything crazy," Shakur said. "Just keeping it simple and play the job of the back-up point guard and be myself.
"And play some defense," he added.
Shakur is playing for another ten-day contract with the Wizards or, ideally, a signing that takes him to the end of the season. He knows how carefully he’s being watched.
"I think I’m making the best of it so far," he said. "Just doing whatever I can to help the team, that’s the biggest thing, when I get out there. Just trying to bring energy."
To most D-League players without Shakur’s vast and varied experience (i.e., who have not been called up before or played overseas or played in the NBA Summer League), the transition to the NBA is a daunting, even stressful prospect.
"It’s been a smooth transition, because the coaching staff just pretty much told me to go out there and be myself, as well as the front office," Shakur noted. "It’s easy when everyone’s behind you and pushing for you to do well, so it makes the transition smooth when everyone’s pushing for you."
Shakur said the Development League helped him to get to the place where he finds himself now.
"Yeah, definitely," he answered. "That’s why I’m here. That’s a big part of it."
Count Scott Brooks among those who are pulling for him to stick with Washington.
"He had the no-quit mentality," Brooks explained. "He stuck with it, and it’s great that he got that opportunity last year (with the Thunder). Obviously roster spots are hard to get in this league, and it’s great that he found a place."
Since that first game against Boston on January 22nd, Shakur has appeared in three other games, all losses. Unfortunately, Shakur is currently day-to-day with a right ankle/right knee injury courtesy of a recent Nick Collison screen.
Hinrich has now returned, and the Wizards’ ten-day contract with Shakur will expire very soon. If they decline to extend for a second ten days, perhaps another team will take him on a test spin.
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