Photos: Muggsy Bogues holds clinic in New Delhi

The shortest player to ever play in the NBA - Muggsy Bogues - came to India over a month ago and held a clinic at the Modern School (Barakhamba) in New Delhi on January 9th, 2011. Around 75 local schoolkids attended this clinic and Bogues was also welcomed by five visiting members of the American congressional delegation.

You can read my extensive interview with Bogues during his time in India here.

But of course, no amount of articles and interviews can describe complete story... So here are some photographs of the Charlotte Hornets' legend Muggsy Bogues in New Delhi!

Bogues demonstrating a dribbling drill at Modern School



Bogues meets India's two Senior National Team coaches - Pete Gaudet (India Women) and Kenny Natt (India Men)



More dribbling lessons...



Bogues with Shiba Maggon - India's basketball referee, Youth Girls coach, and former Senior International player.



"Crossover dribble... And then EXPLODE for the lay-up!"



So it also happened to be Muggsy Bogues' birthday when he was in India (Jan 9th!). NBA-India's Senior Director of Development presented him a birthday cake.



Joining Bogues at the event was Senator Mark Warner from Virginia, the Senate India Caucus Chairman, along with four other members of the Caucus from across the USA, who are on an official visit to India from January 7-14th. The NBA presented them with practice jackets that matched teams those closest to their hometowns!

Muggsy Bogues - NBA's shortest ever player - comes to India!

It is kind of tragic when you're known for your height - or the lack of it - before your game. But if you're Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues, the shortest player to ever play in the NBA, the achievement of enjoying a 14-year-long professional basketball career at just 5 foot 3 inches is nothing short of a very tall feat (see what I did there?)

And now, the former Charlotte Hornets point guard will be coming to India on Monday, January 9th to participate in an NBA India - Senate India Caucus Basketball Event in New Delhi to promote basketball participation and healthy, active lifestyle to Indian youth.

Fans in New Delhi who want to catch a glimpse of the star should visit the Modern School in Barakhamba from 3-5 PM on Monday, January 9th. Activities will include a Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA clinic for 75 local boys and girls and an exhibition game between two teams from the Mahindra NBA Challenge – the under 16 boys teams from the Modern School and DPS. India’s Women's under 16 Jr. National Team Assistant Coach and former Sr. National Team Player Shiba Maggon will also be present at the event.

Despite his height, Bogues enjoyed a successful pro career: he is the all-time leader in minutes played, assists, and steals for the Charlotte Hornets. Of course, the Hornets later moved to New Orleans and Charlotte since have a new basketball team, the Bobcats. Bogues was drafted by the Washington Bullets in 1987 where he played for his rookie year before being picked up by the expansion Hornets side. After 9 successful years in Charlotte, he played for the Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors in short stints before ending his career in 2001.

He since worked as the coach of WNBA side Charlotte Sting for two seasons, and is currently the head coach of the United Faith Christian Academy men’s high school basketball team in Charlotte.

Oh, and he also had a role in Space Jam.

Like they did with the visit of 6 foot 1 Brandon Jennings to India last summer, it seems that the NBA is keen on spreading the message of "you don't need height to make it" amongst young Indian basketball players. In Bogues, they will be introducing the shortest ever to sport an NBA jersey, someone who silenced the doubters not just by making it, but by playing at a respectable level for 14 productive seasons.

Bogues visit to the school in New Delhi will be held by NBA-India as part of a visit by an American Congressional Delegation to India, lead by US Senator Mark R. Warner (co-chair of the U.S. Senate’s India Caucus) from January 7-14th.