Nathaniel 'Tiny' Archibald (6'1, 150lbs. [19th Overall] [13 seasons] [6 All-Star] [1 Championship])

Born: September 2, 1948. New York City

High School: DeWitt Clinton High School

College: University of Texas El-Paso

'In an era when the game threatened to become the exclusive domain of gargantuan players, the 6-foot-1 Archibald proved that there would always be room for a speedy, smart, and creative small man.'

Nathaniel 'Tiny' Archibald was born in New York City and has spent 13 years in the NBA mostly remembered with the Kansas City Kings and Boston Celtics.

Known as one of the greatest point guards ever he was able to pass and can shoot from midrange. His blinding quickness and incredible speed and shiftiness made him almost impossible to guard in the open court as he would easily drive pass defenders and score or pass.

Archibald grew up as a playground legend in the rough neighborhood in South Bronx in NYC. He was cut from his varsity team as a sophomore but returned as a junior. He also dropped out of school but with the help of two mentors they  helped him turn his life around. Working hard to change his life, he would change his poor grades and ultimately earning a scholarship for basketball. 

For Tiny basketball was used as a tool to help him stay clear of drugs and violence that claimed many of his peers. Fate, fortitude and inspiration from unlikley places helped him presevere to become the pride of Patterson housing projects in America's most ravaged neighborhoods.

After being a standout at University of Texas El Paso from 1967 - 1970 he would declare for the NBA draft 16th overall. Nate would make a great mark in the NBA since he is and still is the only player to ever lead the league in BOTH scoring and assists in 1972-1973. Averaging 34ppg and 11.4apg.

Although Tiny went on to win an NBA championship with he would not stop contributing on the court. He returned to NYC to run basketball schools for the underpriviledged kids and worth as the athletic director at the huge Harlem Armory homless shelter.

Michael Adams (5'10, 162lbs. [66th Overall] [11 Seasons] [1 All-Star]) - Mighty Mike

Born: January 19, 1963. Hartford, Connecticut

College: Boston College

Yes, Michael Adams is 5'10, but he is still considered undersized. You must consider the fact that in the 1990-1991 season he had averaged 26ppg and 10apg. 

Adams was unable to dunk, but dispute this he held his position in the NBA, by using his quickness.

But Michael had faced skeptism early on in his career. Starting with his own mother,  until she watched him play at one of his games. He would score many points and dominate the competition in high school. Problem was that there were no scholarship offers for him, they said he was too small and out of control. 

Luckily Adams was able to get a scholarship offer at Boston College. Through his college career he had played great and was the first in his family to have a degree. But still Adams had little interest from the NBA.

But luckily he was drafted in 1985 66th overall and was sitting at the end of the bench. Unfortunatly he was cut and kept going back and forth between the CBA and the NBA. With great strength and determination Michael presevered and kept perfecting his basketball skills. 

Even though he would have a career season in 1990-1991 with 26ppg and 10apg and also with a 56 point night which was the highest point total for that season he didn't have an increase in salary and still was not considered an NBA All-Star.

But in 1992 he was elected to his first NBA All-Star game and he had proven it the hard way. Day by day, game by game.

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1003359/index.htm

Keith Jennings (5'7, 160lbs. [3 Seasons])

Born: November 2, 1968. Culpeper, Virginia

High School: Highland School

College: East Tennessee State University

Although he played only 3 seasons in the NBA, he still deserves to be respected as a great undersized point guard.  He is now retired, he was a 5'7, 160 lbs point guard out of East Tennessee State University and spent 3 seasons with the Golden State Warriors. He was also selected by the Toronto raptors in the 1995 expansion draft but he did not play for them. 

In 1991 he won the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award for the best collegiate senior under six feet tall. In the same year he would go on to lead the NCAA Division I in three point FG% with 59%.

In his college days he had led his team to 3 NCAA tournament berths and is noticbly the best player to play at East Tennessee State. On November 27, 2004 they proclaimed that day to be named the 'Keith Jennings Day'.

He ranks the 4th best NCAA Division assists total as of today and is in second in leading the 3FG% with 49.3%. He was known as Mister, given the nickname after football when he was 6 years old.

Jennings was known for his handles as well as his deadly shooting beyond the arc.

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1118790/index.htm

http://www.etsubucs.com/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=7877

Calvin Murphy (5'9, 165lbs. [18th Overall] [13 Seasons] [1 All-Star]) - 'My feelings were hurt', 'How dare they treat me that way?'

Born: May 9, 1948. Norwalk, Connecticut

High School: Norwalk High School

College: Niagara University

Calvin Murphy is among the best to ever play in the NBA of 5'9 and below. He had been an All-Star and in 1981 he had led his Rockets to the NBA finals losing to the Boston Celtics. 

In his high school days “We only lived a half-hour from New York City,” Murphy later recalled in the Houston Post. “My brother and I would sneak on the train to go to old Madison Square Garden and watch the pro games. I used to sit there and just visualize me being out there.” One night Murphy saw Oscar Robertson play and, on the way home, vowed he would become a pro basketball player, “come hell or high water.”

Calvin would go on to become a standout player in his high school days and was an All-State selection 3 times, he had 235 scholarship offers. But he chose Niagara University where in his first year he had averaged 38 points per game.

Calvin played with great determination. There was once in a high school tournament where he scored 66 points and still lost. In the locker room he was crying. He was that type of competitor.

http://www.nba.com/history/players/murphy_bio.html

Unfortunatly when the NBA draft came around he was not picked in the first round.

Muggsy Bogues (5'3, 141lbs. [12th Overall] [14 Seasons]) - 'I always believed in myself'

Born: January 9, 1965. Baltimore, Maryland

High School: Dunbar High School (Bob Wade)

College: Wake Forest University

Drafted: Washington Bullets, 1987 1st Round, 12th Overall

Muggsy Bogues is the shortest to ever play in the NBA and may be the shortest there will ever be. Not sure if you can find another person with a bigger heart then him. They say that there will never be another Michael Jordan. But there probably won't be another Muggsy Bogues. 

In a game where height is the determining factor in choosing to play the sport. Muggsy would totally ignore the fact that the game is played above the rim, he would find a new way to play. Below the rim. Swiping the ball away from opponents would be his thing, especially after rebou

nds. 

In a game in 1993 he had a huge highlight when he blocked 7 ft center Patrick Ewing's shot. 

Muggsy had grown up in proverty, where there were daily failures. He grew up in a tough neighborhood where gang violence and drugs were a daily occasion. Dispite of these obstacles and temptations he would turn to basketball as his focus. Making the Dunbar basketball team to national championships. Never losing a single game in his high school career. At Dunbar he was grouped with NBA greats David Wingate, Reggie Lewis and Reggie Williams. 

Muggsy faced many obstacles in his life when he was in High School his father was arrested into prison and days were tough for him. He was also discrimated many times as a child due to his height, but he used his weakness and turned it into motivation to take give a lesson that they made a mistake.

Of course Muggsy was recruited to college and he had selected Wake Forest University where he struggled the first two years. Where he had faced a bit of racism since the school was mostly white and at times he wanted to quit. But luckily in his junior year they had switched coaches which adapted to more of his playing style. During his last two years he would lead the ACC in Assists and Steals. Eventually earning a spot on the team USA team in 1986 and winning the gold medal.

After a successful colllege career where his #14 jersey was eventually retired. He was drafted into the NBA in the first round, 12 pick overall. He would eventually play for the Bullets, Hornets, Warriors and Raptors for 13 seasons.

Muggsy's storied career demonstrates that with hard work and determination, you can beat the odds and accomplish your goals. As he once told the children's magazine Highlights for Children, "You can't dwell on what people think you can't do."

https://www.23andme.com/gen101/variation/bogues/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muggsy_Bogues

http://slamonline.com/online/high-school/2007/09/dunbar-high-brick-house/

http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Bench/5207/

http://www.spin-web.com/muggsy.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/tyrone-muggsy-bogues

Earl Boykins (5'5, 133lbs. [10 Seasons . . .]) - Clutchman

Born: June 2, 1976. Cleveland, Ohio

High School: Central Catholic School

College: Eastern Michigan University

Earl Boykins stands only 5'5 and weights 135lbs. But yet he has defeated the odds of making it to the NBA and was the man that was counted to make the big shots under pressure situations. He is the second shortest player ever to play in the NBA after Muggsy Bogues who stands 5'3.

Earl Boykins played in college for the Eastern Michigan Eagles where he would eventually be be the second highest scorer in the nation with an average with 25.7 points per game while shooting 47% from the field. After his amazing college career, surprisingly Earl was not chosen in the NBA draft.

He persevered. Playing for the CBA rockford lightning then eventually earning a 10 day contract with the New Jersey Nets. He would continue to go back and forth between the NBA with 10 day contracts and with the CBA. 

His hard work and determination would eventually help him earn a spot on the Golden State Warriors where he excelled as a 6th man and was counted on to make clutch shots at the end of games. He would continue his efforts when he signed with the Denver Nuggets and had a huge highlight when he had broken the overtime record with 15 points(now surpassed by Gilbert Arenas).

He now plays for Virtus Bologna and has a contract for 3.5 Million for one year.

Spud Webb (5'6, 133lbs. [87th Overall] [12 Seasons]) - The Pioneer

Born: Dallas, Texas

High School: Wilmer-Hutchins High School (Homer Smith)

College: Midland (Jerry Stone), North Carolina State (Jim Valvano)

Spud Webb is correctly only 5'6 and had only weight 135 lbs. Yet for some reason he was able to play in the NBA for 12 seasons. The slam dunk contest in 1986 shocked the basketball world when they realized a person of this stature can get up so high and not only dunk, but win a slam dunk title against the world's greatest athletes.

Early in Spud's life he had been born into poverty. But thank God he had basketball as his inspiration, ev

en though he was small he used what he had which was his quicknes and jumping ability to outplay other kids. 

Spud's first hard lesson was at Wilmer-Hutchins High School. Where he would fail to make the Varsity team in his Junior year, Spud thought about quitting it all. But with preseverance and determination he came back in his Senior year stronger then ever achieving his first ever dunk which was two handed over that summer at an astonishing height of only 4'11!!! 

In his senior he would make sure his coaches know they made a mistake of not picking him in his Junior year. He left his coaches with their mouths open when he stole the ball during a scrimmage and dunked the ball from the circle after the free throw line. During his senior season he would lead his team averaging 26 points per game. After being one of the best high school players in Dallas he as not offered any scholarships into any major Division I schools due to his size.

Spud was lucky enough to attract attention from a Junior College at Midland where the coach there had believed in him. In only his first year he had  helped Midland win a National Championship in 1982. Later on he would transfer to North Carolina State University and play 2 years as a starting point guard.

Dispite Spud's size, he was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the 1985 NBA draft in 

the 4th round. But due to the fact that Detroit already had Isiah Thomas, Spud was dropped from the team without given a shot. Luckily the Atlanta Hawks had decided to give him a shot and he had impressed coaches with his fearless style of play and intensity that lead him to stay with the Atlanta Hawks.

Perhaps what was Spud's biggest moment is when he had participated in the 1986 Slam Dunk contest and defeated even his own teammate Dominique Wilkins. Spud did not miss a single dunk in that contest and had landed several 50s,  including a 360, off the backboard, 180 and the elevator dunk.

Not only had Spud's dream come true but he was also given huge minutes when starting point guard Doc Rivers was hurt for most of the season, which enabled him to help guide his team to the playoffs and beat the Detroit Pistons hitting two clutch free throws in the final minutes of the game.

Spud went on to have a successful career with the Hawks, Kings, Timberwolves and with the Magic before retiring.

Greg Grant (5'7, 140lbs. [52nd Overall] [7 Seasons]) - 'Come a long way'

Born: August 26, 1966. Trenton, New Jersey

High School: Trenton High School

College: Morris Brown, Trenton State (Kevin Bannon)

I have written a summary of short NBA players before. Now's my chance to write more.

Grant's story to the NBA is a long and interesting one.  Greg was a standout player at Trenton High School from 1980 to 1984, even though he had averaged 24 points per game in his last year  he did not recieve any scholarship from any major basketball program.

He then decided to attend Morris Brown College which as a Division II school in Atlanta, Georga. But he had felt homesick and wanted to return home in December. After this he took a job for four months at a Shipping Department before being laid off.

Greg then decided to take a job at the Crab Trap where he had spent long hours selling, weighing, cleaning and wrapping fish. He had needed the long hours to take his mind off away from the dream he had been in his mind. The dream of playing professional basketball.

''I kept reading about guys in the papers that I played in high school with and against, guys who were going to college and still playing ball,'' he said. ''They were all still in school, and I wasn't. After a while, I just got tired of working. I missed school, and I missed basketball.''

After becoming sick of the job at the Crab Trap he had decided to enroll back in school on financial aid. But this time attending a school close to home. Trenton State which was a Divison III, where no NBA players came out of.

Dispite this, he would take over the league. Averaging 30 points per game and shooting over 50% from the field. The problem was that this was Division III, scouts would think of the competition he had faced and if he could stand up against real competition.

''But I believed,'' Mr. Grant said. ''I really believed that I was good enough to make it.''

As a result he was drafted in the second round of the NBA draft with the 52nd pick and went on to the NBA playing for 7 seasons primarily as a backup point guard.

He now owns a company called 94 FT where he has his own clothing line and runs leagues/clinics in his city of Trenton.

Highlights:

-Career High 14 Assists in the NBA

-Co-MVP with David Robinson in  Los Angles Pro-Summer League (1989) with 51 points and 16 assists.

-Division III Player of the Year (1989)

-National Leading Scorer, 32.6 scoring average , (1988-1989)

-Trenton State College All-Time Leading Scorer, 2,611 points

-Trenton State College, All-Time Leader in steals

-Led Trenton State College to first conference championship (1988-1989 season)

-Voted MVP in the NCAA Final Four Tournament ( 1989)

-Three time New Jersey College Player of the Year (1986-1989)

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE4D9143EF93BA25751C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1

http://www.ggrant94ftinc.com