CHICAGO — Bobby Dixon, who was born at the bottom of a staircase, continues to find new heights in his basketball career.
The Uptown native last week was named to the Turkish national basketball team, joining former Bulls center Omer Asik and Philadelphia 76ers forward Furkan Aldemir. Dixon on Friday led Pinar Karsiyaka to a Turkish Basketball League championship and was named MVP after scoring 21 points per game with 4 assists per game during the finals.
"It's a testament to what I've been doing over here," Dixon told DNAinfo Chicago during a phone interview at 2 a.m. Monday Turkey time. "I'm grateful they even asked me. I'm just excited about the experience and a chance to play."
Bobby Dixon! http://t.co/zurUzFKtyM
— 24 Saniye (@yirmidortbasket) June 19, 2015Dixon is in the process of legally changing his name to Ali Muhammed, in honor of his idol, boxer Muhammad Ali. He said he still wants to be known as Bobby Dixon to his Chicago brethren. Last month, Dixon got a tattoo on his arm that reads "Uptown Mamba" — his nickname for the last several years.
Ali "had this underdog mentality," Dixon said. "He stood for what he believed in, and he was crafty with his words."
On Monday, Dixon joined Fenerbahçe Ülker, one of Turkey's top teams.
Dixon's life has been topsy-turvy since he was born on the bottom of a North Side staircase on April 10, 1983. His childhood saw him live with relatives in Uptown, Rogers Park, Cabrini-Green and Humboldt Park.
He had been an emerging hoops standout at Sullivan High School when he was arrested for dealing drugs before his senior year.
He received a GED while serving time at the Cook County Boot Camp, and the experience behind a barbed-wire fence changed him.
After leaving the camp, he lived on Howard Street and commuted three hours each way on the Red Line and then took a bus to get to the UPS sorting facility in suburban Hodgkins, where he was a package handler for the 4 a.m.-10 a.m. shift. He'd come home "like a zombie," sleep for a few hours, then head to either Loyola Beach or Montrose Beach for brutal, hours-long workouts.
He played in community college then was a star Division I Troy (Ala.) University before overseas stints in Poland and then Turkey.
"I always had a vision that this could happen in my life, but until it happens you never really know," Dixon said. "Coming where I come from, that normally doesn't happen. I hear about [the violence] going on in Chicago, and it's just sad. It's terrible."
Dixon's first appearance with the Turkish national team will be at the Eurobasket tournament later this summer. His first game will be Aug. 9 against Germany, fronted by NBA star Dirk Nowitzki.
"I didn't see it coming," Dixon said of being asked to join the national team. "It's an honor to play for another country."
Ali Muhammed aka Bobby Dixon! ! #teamTurkey #giantslayer #lionheart #uptownmamba #BB113 #heartoverheight http://t.co/lQtgcwLGlh
— Bobby Dixon (@BobbyDixon20) June 21, 2015For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
