Former NBA star Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf tells his story — both on and off the court — in the Showtime documentary “Stand,” with the guidance of director Joslyn Rose Lyons.

The documentary examines how Abdul-Rauf’s standout playing career was derailed by controversy over his decision not to stand during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” But it also aims to capture more than just the protest — which came some 20 years before NFL star Colin Kaepernick caught flack for kneeling on the sidelines — and instead focuses on the finer points of Abdul-Rauf’s life before and after professional basketball, revealing how he found himself taking a stand for his beliefs.

“I don’t know if this was the right time, only God knows,” Abdul-Rauf tells Variety, when asked why he decided to share his story now. “However, over the years I’ve read more, I’ve met a wide array of people, so much has changed,...