NBL news 2023: Sydney Kings’ Mahmoud Abdelfattah on life, Palestine and coaching red flags

Escaping war-torn Palestine showed Kings coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah what is required to survive in any scenario. It’s why entering one of the world’s most competitive markets never phased him.

Resilience is required to survive in one of the world’s most competitive sporting markets, so it’s fortunate new Sydney Kings coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah possesses the trait in spades.

Abdelfattah lost his mother, Afaf, to a sudden heart attack when he was just 19.

It was a life “turning point” the proud Palestinian credits for helping him find faith – and ultimately a successful basketball coaching career.

“The biggest challenge and difficulty for me is when I lost my mum,” Abdelfattah told Code Sports.

“That really changed me and steered me towards a strength in my faith.

“And faith is one of the biggest reasons why I’m here today.”

Sydney Kings head coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah speaks with the referee. Picture: Getty

Abdelfattah lent heavily on religion when his beloved mother left this world.

As a child, he recalls seeing his parents pray multiple times a day – and he put their example into practice to help fulfil his hoops dreams.

Abdelfattah first discovered his passion for coaching while at St Cloud State College in Minnesota in 2009.

He had aspired to play in the NBA like most budding ballers, but when he knew he didn’t possess the skills to make it, he turned to coaching.

Abdelfattah started his coaching career as an assistant coach in Chicago with the Perspectives Charter Schools in 2011.

This proved to be the perfect apprenticeship as it paved the way for him to reach the G League – the NBA’s second-tier competition.

Abdelfattah served an apprenticeship in the US before joining the Kings this year.

In 2018, Abdelfattah joined the Rio Grande Grand Valley Vipers – the Houston Rockets’ affiliate club – and enjoyed immediate success as an assistant coach.

He was part of a championship and was promoted to the Vipers’ head coaching position – also becoming the first Palestinian coach in G League history.

Abdelfattah again showed his class, steering the Vipers to the 2021-2022 G League championship while also being named G League Coach of the Year.

Abdelfattah’s rise was capped off in July, 2022 when the Houston Rockets hired him as an assistant coach.

He had finally fulfilled his NBA dream – and while it wasn’t as a player – he knew his late mother would be incredibly proud.

Afaf immigrated to Chicago during the 1967 Palestinian Exodus, which saw up to 300,000 Palestinians flee territories captured by Israel.

Abdelfattah is chasing a three-peat with the Kings this year. Picture: Getty

She left in search of a better life – and her son will be forever grateful.

“Mum gave me every opportunity and sacrificed coming over from Palestine to Chicago as a teenager not speaking any English,” said Abdelfattah, the second youngest of seven siblings, including three sisters and three brothers.

“So, 100 per cent – long story short – I do everything for her.

“She put in the work to support my brother and sisters. She came for a better opportunity and she became the first person to graduate from her town with a degree at UIC (University of Illinois Chicago) when she was pregnant with my sisters.

“You talk about a tough life. That is hard and we’ve got it easy these days.”

LEARNING CURVE

Abdelfattah comes to the NBL with a successful coaching resume – but as history has shown – it means little unless you get results.

This is especially the case in Sydney’s ultra-competitive sporting landscape, which has 26 professional sporting teams across 11 sports.

Jordan Hunter of talks with his Kings teammates during a tough start to the season. Picture: Getty

Throw in the fact the Kings have won back-to-back championships and the NBL is a competitive competition, where results fluctuate, and Abdelfattah is up against it.

“All 10 NBL teams, every single night, have an opportunity to win,” he said.

“If you win two games in a weekend, you can go from the middle of the pack to the top and if you lose two you can go from the top to the middle of the pack.”

It’s a reality Abdelfattah has experienced in Sydney this season. The Kings have looked like champions at stages, while at other times they’ve struggled, especially on the defensive end.

Sydney’s defensive rating has dropped to seventh this season – a steep decline considering they’ve dominated in defence during the past two championship-winning seasons.

The Kings, with star Jaylen Adams, are still one of the competition’s elite teams. Picture: Getty

Abdelfattah is also dealing with the expectation of claiming a rare three-peat – and it’s why he is leaning heavily on his players and staff who have won a championship.

“Guys like Shaun Bruce, Angus Glover and Jordan Hunter – who have won championships – are providing me with support and sharing knowledge on preparation for games, what it takes to be successful.

“I also lean on my staff, but moreso my players. I also talk to Luc (Longley) and (Andrew) Bogut to get their feel from being around the league and having played in it.

“I’m open to feedback and advice and I just do my job to what I feel is best for the group we have.

“I’m a new coach, so it’s all new.

“I understand the opportunity to chase a three-peat and I’m just focused on being the best team we can be every single day.”

Abdelfattah has quickly become a popular figure around the league

The animated coach has his eyes on more success.

MAN OF THE PEOPLE

Sydney co-owner Andrew Bogut thought it was too good to be true when he first interviewed Abdelfattah for the vacant Kings coaching job earlier this year.

“It threw up a red flag: was he being fake as an American coach just telling you what you want to hear?,” Bogut said.

“But the more research we did with people, everyone was like, ‘no, he is like that 24/7.

“We were like, ‘oh it’s kind of hard to believe that someone could be that positive and energetic on a daily basis’, but it’s what he sold us on in the interview.

“Once we cross-referenced it with people who had played for him, coached with him and GMs, they all confirmed that is what he is like daily.”

Australian basketball great, and Kings co-owner, Andrew Bogut did his research. Picture: Getty

Abdelfattah has lived up to his Mr. Nice Guy mantle since joining Sydney.

He has even endeared himself to rival teams for going out of his way to introduce himself, and shake everyone’s hand, during post-game press conferences.

Abdelfattah is a people person. He genuinely likes the company of other people.

It’s why he regularly jumps on the train to training, enjoying the chance to rub shoulders with the local Sydney community.

“My wife is big on getting the train and one of my assistant coaches takes it as well, so I’m learning from both of them and I’m going to do it a little bit more as well,” he said.

“I live in Olympic Park, so I just walk to the train station.”

Sydney haven’t been as dominant as past seasons, especially defensively, but Bogut believes the third-placed Kings will use the setbacks to rise when it matters most in February and March.

“I don’t like seasons where you cruise at No.1 the whole season and you have no adversity,” he said.

“I think these types of things build resiliency and you find out who your players are, your coaches are.

“You don’t really know who you are until you hit that adversity – and you don’t want to be hitting that adversity in a (grand final) series.

“I think we’re in the perfect position to see who we are.”

Originally published as NBL news 2023: Sydney Kings’ Mahmoud Abdelfattah on life, Palestine and coaching red flags