A “Blue-Collar Dude” and His Training Empire: The Story of Raheem Shabazz

Every great empire has its crown jewel, for Raheem Shabazz and his training empire that jewel comes in the form of a basketball goal that sits in the center of his gym.

It is a goal with a story, one that its owner only recently learned. The goal that Memphis’s top athletes have spent hours shooting on turns out to be one of the two goals used in the 1990’s greatest pickup games.

The "Jordan Dome" goal took a long and odd journey from the set at Warner Brothers’ studios to the Team Shabazz gym, but Shabazz spent years not knowing the history of his ultimate training tool.

He says that he noticed the resemblance while watching ESPN’s “Last Dance” and immediately pointed it out to his son, then sent a message to Jack Savage, who sold him the goal.

Savage quickly responded by telling him that not only was he aware of the goal’s history, but that he had told Shabazz on the day it was delivered.

Thinking back on the events, Shabazz realized that he had been frustrated that day over a separate delivery that was not made, and he completely tuned out the information that the seller had provided.

“I don’t know how I missed that,” said Shabazz, “Michael Jordan was always my favorite player growing up.”

But while he looks across his gym, full of state-of-the-art equipment and storied memorabilia, he cannot help but remember a simpler time.

The story of Raheem Shabazz made a quick and unexpected turn nine years ago, shortly after closing the final chapter of his playing career.

The former Ohio State and UT-Chattanooga football player had become known for his unique training style and explosive results on the field over the course of career.

His wife, who he trained with regularly, took notice of his talent and called on him to begin a new journey as a personal trainer.

Shabazz initially resisted, citing the stigma behind the term “personal trainer,” but he soon recognized that she was right. He had a gift and wanted to share it with the young athletes around him.

The early days were not so glamorous as he started work in a dirt field, using only the rubber bands and parachutes that he had with him.

“I had to make it out of the mud,” said Shabazz.

Through hard work and an advanced understanding of human movement, Shabazz used the resources around him to adapt workouts to the athletes he trained.

“I’m just a blue-collar dude, I love to work behind the scenes,” said Shabazz.

His career quickly began to catch momentum as word spread about this new guy producing unbelievable results.

Word eventually reached Memphis basketball legend Penny Hardaway, who noticed a drastic difference in his players, famed Memphis brothers Dedric and KJ Lawson, after they spent time with the young trainer.

Impressed with what he saw, Hardaway arranged a meeting with Shabazz.

They met for a dinner that would change Shabazz’s life forever.

What started as a relationship between trainer and athlete developed into a friendship and unlocked countless opportunities for Memphis’s new most popular trainer.

With the increased attention that Shabazz received from his work with Hardaway, and the steady flow of top-level athletes the AAU coach brought with him, it became much simpler to gain access to top level equipment that would only enhance results.

“Our vision is the same,” said Shabazz, “We want to help young people.”

This mutual drive led the two to take their talents to East High School in Memphis, Tennessee, where they won three consecutive state championships.

In total, Shabazz has won 11 state and national championships across multiple sports. He has become one of the hottest consultants for teams across the city looking to gain an edge and develop top level talent.

As Hardaway made the jump to the college ranks and celebrated his homecoming at the University of Memphis, Shabazz continued focusing on maximizing the efforts of the city’s best young talent.

“Its 100 percent about them. Them reaching their goals, them reaching their dreams and overcoming the odds,” said Shabazz.

He aims to not only work with each individual but to personalize each workout to best fit their goals. It is his precise attention to detail that has led the biggest names in basketball to flock to his gym.

James Wiseman, Darius Bazley, RJ Hampton and Skal Labissiere only scrape the top of the list when naming his most notable alumni at the gym, but the players Shabazz says he is most proud of are the ones that had to overcome the odds.

He sees the work put in by guys like Darrell Brown Jr., who came to him as an undersized guard who did not have any major offers but could shoot the ball incredibly well from the perimeter.

Brown Jr. went on to gain a scholarship and averaged 14.1 points per game over his career at Bradley, where he was recognized as one of the top scoring guards in the country.

“It’s literally like,” said Shabazz as he looked away and began to laugh, “It’s just so special here.”

He has such a great attachment with his athletes because he treats each individual like family and views all the athletes he has trained like his own children, giving them everything he has to help them reach their goals.

In recent years, he has come to realize that he can serve as not only a trainer but a recruiting service that provides footage of each athlete as they go through the less glamorous parts of the preparation process.

“For a long time, I took for granted how coaches use social media,” said Shabazz, “I saw that they never liked or retweeted it and assumed they never saw it. But then I’d get a phone call.”

For him it is not about the personal recognition he receives when he posts a video, it is about putting out footage that coaches can use to determine the athleticism and character of the athletes they are recruiting.

When those players begin receiving offers and eventually head off to college, it provides him with great pride.

“All that work, all that time, all that love, all that yelling, all that screaming, all that sweating and crying, it’s all worth it,” said Shabazz.

Shabazz also realizes that as a black man in the south that is constantly in contact with the next generation, he has a duty to give everything he has not only inside the gym, but outside it as well.

“I’m a firm believer that when you take care of people, God will take care of you,” said Shabazz.

During this time of social unrest, he has made it a priority to make his voice heard. With his wife serving as a police officer, he provides a unique perspective to the issues at hand.

He also feels the weight that comes with living in the city of Memphis, the site where Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed. He feels a duty to honor leaders like Doctor King and Malcolm X by living as a testament of their mission.

“When they see the hurt, they know that I’m passionate about it,” said Shabazz, “You show your strength as a black man by looking right in the face of hate and reciprocating that with love, with restraint, with patience and with poise.”

His passion for training carries over into everything he does, his feelings can be felt in every word about social justice.

In these trying times, whether discussing the status of race issues or the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Shabazz has set out to be an example on how to do things the right way.

When the city of Memphis began phase one of its COVID-19 reopening, he showed that his concern for health and safety was at the forefront of his mission.

When he was told that he could open at 25 percent capacity, which would allow for classes of 20 athletes, he only let in 10.

He has taken every precaution to ensure the safety of his athletes, from spreading out his equipment to changing workout routines to exclude drills with partners and eliminate use of the same equipment by multiple athletes before a cleaning period is completed.

He has increased ventilation and requires all athletes to have their temperature checked three times before entering the facility, ensuring that they are under 100.4 degrees. Any athlete that breaks that threshold is not admitted and Shabazz advises them to seek a test to determine whether they have contracted the virus.

At the end of the day, whether he is training the number one pick in next year’s NBA draft or an overweight and undersized high school player with a dream, whether he is working through a global pandemic or social unrest, Shabazz is about family.

“It’s like I have 400 children,” said Shabazz, “If you have a heart and you really care, then you give them what they need.”