NBA star gives a basketball master class in Perm

Former NBA player Muggsy Bogues the shortest world basketball champion ever, gave a master class for Perm children.

According to the City Administration Committee for Physical Culture and Sports, Muggsy Bogues came to Perm during his visit to Russia. He gave a master class at the Children’s and Youth Sports School of the Olympic Reserve. More than 100 young sportsmen attended his master class.

The main focus of the one-hour master class was on ball dribbling and stealing techniques. This was no coincidence, with Muggsy Bogues’s unique ball handling skills having made him famous. Just 1.60 m tall, Muggsy Bogues is the shortest basketball player ever to have played in the NBA. His physical style of play brings to mind a mugging – he used his small height to “mug” his rivals and steal the ball, hence his nickname “Muggsy”.

A photo and autograph signing session followed the master class. According to Olga Golubtsova, Deputy Director of Children’s and Youth Sports School of the Olympic Reserve, the master class was of great interest to both the coaches and the children who were keen to adopt Mugssy Bogues’s techniques and found his recommendations useful.

The Olympian Sports Complex is the first NBA ground in Russia. The renovated sports complex was opened on August 2, with two NBA players – twin brothers Brook and Robin Lopes – taking part in the opening ceremony. The city administration and the SIBUR company provided funding for the renovation of the sports complex. As part of the renovation programme the ground covering and basketball hoops were replaced. The updated sports complex extends the opportunities to play basketball in Perm – now more than 400 children can learn to play basketball here.

Muggsy Bogues (USA) played for the Washington Bullets, Charlotte Hornets, and Golden State Warriors, ending his carrier with the Toronto Raptors. As well as being the Hornets' leader in minutes played, assists and steals, he was the 1986 World Basketball Champion. Muggsy Bogues is currently head coach of the United Faith Christian Academy boys’ basketball team (Charlotte, North Carolina).