NBA Great Chris Mullin Recalls Racial Overtones Making Him A Better Player

Shandel Richardson | Mar 27, 2025

Nov 6, 2023; San Francisco, CA, USA; Former NBA player Chris Mullin (right) speaks with Golden State Warriors president of basketball operations and general manager Bob Myers before a press conference to announce the Golden State Warriors and San Francisco Bay Area selection to host the 2025 NBA All-Star Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images / Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

NBA Hall of Famer Chris Mullin was a minority on the basketball court while growing up in New York City.

He was often the only white player in games. All it did was fuel him.

"Every single day you had to prove yourself," Mullin said on the All The Smoke podcast with former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. "When I went up to the park, I was the only white guy. So right away like, `What's this guy doing here? Come on, man.'"

“Every single day you had to prove yourself.”⁰⁰NYC Basketball prepared Chris Mullin for the game of life 🫡

ALL THE SMOKE with Mully is now available on YouTube! pic.twitter.com/PKOjEi3Eyp

— All the Smoke Productions (@allthesmokeprod) March 27, 2025

Mullin never let the doubts affect his play. He said it provided more than enough motivation that helped turn him into of of the best players in league history. Mullin spent most of his career as part of the Run TMC trio with Tim Hardaway and Mitch Richmond for the Golden State Warriors. He was also a member of the iconic 1992 Olympic Dream Team in 1992 that was the first to feature professional players.

"The performance the day before had nothing to do with the next day," Mullin said. "You always had to go up there and show out or they booed. They booed you until you get the hell out of here. So in a way, that pressure/motivation developed my focus. Whether I'm playing in an empty gym or a packed Madison Square Garden, the approach is the same because you're proving something."

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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