"Heart over height" - Muggsy Bogues shouts out praise for undersized Japanese guard in the Olympics
Muggsy Bogues made a career in the NBA, proving that he belonged among the best basketball players in the world, despite being undersized. The 5-foot-3 guard played 14 seasons in the pros and delighted fans with his energy, heart, grit and playmaking. Despite his frame, he did not let adversity stop him from his dream of playing hoops at the highest level.
Bogues finds it hard to root for somebody in basketball who has faced the same odds as him and succeeded. Only seven players listed under six feet played in the NBA after the former Charlotte Hornets star retired in 2001. Of the seven, only Earl Boykins, Nate Robinson and Isaiah Thomas lasted more than 10 years.
After seeing 5-foot-8 Yuki Kawamura’s stat line against France in the Paris Olympics, Muggsy Bogues reacted on X, formerly Twitter:
“You love to see it #heartoverheight”
FIBA called Kawamura’s performance against the home team “heart over height.” The unheralded Japanese nearly dragged his team to the biggest upset in the Olympics. He finished the game versus the French with 29 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
The former Yokohama B-Corsairs star became just the third player in Olympics history to hit at least 25+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists in a game.
If Muggsy Bogues had seen the game, he would have appreciated not just the raw numbers but also the timing of Yuki Kawamura’s impact. 11 of the 29 points came in the fourth quarter when Japan played nearly the entire period without Rui Hachimura.
Had a controversial foul not been called on Kawamura, Japan would have bagged the biggest upset in the men’s basketball of the Paris Olympics. The never-say-die guard hit four crucial free throws with under 47 seconds remaining to give the Japanese an 84-80 lead.
Following a timeout by France, Matthew Strazel hit a game-tying 3-pointer that went with a foul against Yuki Kawamura. Replays showed that Kawamura didn’t touch Strazel while attempting the shot. Muggy Bogues would have appreciated the fighting spirit of the Japanese guard.
Muggsy Bogues helped Team USA to the 1986 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain
Muggsy Bogues knows a thing or two about playing for the country on the international stage. He was part of Team USA that won the 1986 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain. Kenny Smith, David Robinson, Sean Elliott, Derrick McKey and Charles Smith were the big names on that roster. Steve Kerr, coach of the Americans in Paris, was also in that group.
Bogues, though, stood out among the players in the competition. FIBA reported his impact in the tournament:
“Muggsy Bogues, the team's 1.6m (5ft 3in) point guard, won the hearts of fans in Spain who nicknamed him 'la Chispa Negra' (the Black Spark) with his determined and relentless effort that proved basketball is not just a game for big men.”
Unlike the Americans, Yuki Kawamura and the Japanese failed to even advance to the knockout stage. Still, the admiration and appreciation of many are not diminished by how they performed in the Olympics.