Mother’s Day is bittersweet for Charlotte Hornets legend who longs for late mom
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – At 5 feet, 3 inches tall, he was the shortest player in NBA history. Muggsy Bogues was never short on confidence, thanks in large part to his late mother.
“Even though you was hearing the naysayers say, ‘Why are you wasting your time playing a game that is not meant for your height?” Bogues recalls.
Mother’s Day weekend is a bittersweet time for the Charlotte Hornets legend, who thinks about his mom Elaine, who instilled many winning traits — including his will to succeed.
Bogues didn’t listen to doubts as he gained stature in the sport. From the jump, he followed Elaine’s lead.
“She was a little pistol, I mean she was 4-11 and wouldn’t take nothing that was going to destroy her happiness or get her down or tell her that she couldn’t do anything,“ he told Queen City News.
Before he got the nickname “Muggsy,” young Tyrone was picked on because of his size. The taunts often left him in tears.
“So, she just gave me that motherly advice, you know, ‘Ty, you know no one can be an expert in your life,” he recalled saying. “If you want to play basketball, you go out and play basketball. You have fun.“
Bogues’ mom was the epitome of MVP, especially while his dad served prison time for bank robbery starting when he was just 12.
Elaine got her GED and made ends meet, giving the family a fighting chance to get out of the projects of Baltimore.
“Being the warrior that she is, put on her bootstraps and just started marching forward and not looking for any assistance,” Bogues says. “She knew what she had to do and seeing her go through that it just gave me a sense that education is important.”
Perhaps taking a cue from Elaine, Bogues didn’t just play basketball at Wake Forest University, he graduated.
His 14-year NBA career gave him a chance to create generational wealth. One of his proudest moments was buying his mother her first house.
When Elaine died of lung cancer in 2001, Bogues was devastated and decided to retire.
“My mom wouldn’t have been there [to watch me play] and I didn’t want to cheat the game,” said Bogues. “I didn’t want to cheat my teammates or myself by stepping on in an arena where my heart wasn’t there.“
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Inspired by his past, the Muggsy Bogues Family Foundation helps improve the quality of life for underserved families, providing food and scholarships.
On Mother’s Day, he takes time for himself to reflect on Elaine’s legacy.
“Oh, just sitting there reminiscing about the times we had with each other,” Bogues says. “You know, our special time. And of course, my kids and their mothers, I’ve got to make sure I’m there for them as well and not shut them out. But they do give me my space to where I can have that time with me and my mom to where we can have that dialogue with each other.“
He wishes he could tell Elaine what he believes about every great mother.
“You mean so much to every family that is out there,” Bogues says, sending a message to moms. “Without you, there would be no us. So, we’re so thankful.”
Even though it’s been 23 years since his mom’s death, he says the pain of losing her still feels like yesterday.
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