Los Angeles, 2000-2001 season. The Lakers of Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant et Phil Jackson have just won their first title together by defeating the Indiana Pacers a few months earlier. Determined to achieve the back-to-back, the Angelenos signed Isaiah Rideraka JR, during the offseason.
“JR kept insulting Kobe. We knew Kobe would wear him down eventually.” Horace Grant
“JR was cheeky. He’s a guy from Oakland. Oakland guys are a different breed. He was sure of himself. We had just won the title in 2000 and JR arrived,” says Horace Grant.
“He wasn’t even threatening Kobe’s playing time, but that didn’t matter. JR kept insulting Kobe. MF (motherfucker) here, MF there. We knew Kobe would eventually wear him out. »
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Big mouth and star of the orange ball since his debut at Alameda High School, near Oakland, Rider landed in the NBA in 1993. A scoring machine capable of planting 30 points per game during his sophomore season at UNLV, he has was drafted in fifth position by the Minnesota Timberwolves and he quickly established himself as a safe bet in his position in the NBA. Free Agent in 2000, he turned down a more lucrative offer from the Miami Heat to play in Los Angeles.
“Ah, JR Rider. He was an interesting guy. He was so talented,” recalls Devean George.
“JR was a star in Minnesota and Portland. He was their first option. And he had made very good matches against the Lakers. He arrived full of confidence,” adds Brian Shaw.
“One day, JR said to Kobe, ‘Don’t forget that I’m also a star and I used to mark you on the face.’ Kobe replied, ‘Dude do you really think you can take me? Okay, after practice, you and me. One against one’. »
“Kobe just completely tore him down. Brian Shaw
Kobe Bryant had barely turned 22 and had four short NBA seasons on the clock. He had passed the 20-point mark for the first of his career in the year of the title. He was already a star, but not yet the legend known to everyone today. This anecdote says a lot about the talent and character of the man. This story is told by his former Lakers teammates.
Ron Harper “Phil Jackson loved that stuff. He didn’t even wait for practice to end. He said, ‘Oh you wanna play? OK, everyone get out of the field.’ “I was an elder at this point in my career. No need to tell me twice. Give me a gatorade, a bag of ice cream and some popcorn. I took a chair and waited for the show to start. »
Devean George : “The veterans were all the time sleeping. It felt like we were in Rucker Park when a guy got punched in practice: ‘Oh he got you, he got you man!’ And Shaq would add, ‘Oh, don’t let him cross you like that!’ It was the show every day. Kobe versus Rider? Oh my God. Nobody went to shower. Everyone took their seats at the edge of the field, it was like a heavyweight fight. »
Brian Shaw : “They played a match in ten points. Kobe just completely demolished it. »
Ron Harper : “Kobe destroyed it. »
Brian Shaw “It was the 22-year-old Kobe. Crazy athletic. Unlimited Stamina. He kicked her ass. He did it all: dunks, up-and-unders, shoots, crossovers. »
Devean George : “Fadeway. Left hand. Right hand. He blew it up. »
Brian Shaw : “We were sleeping on the side. We laughed, we yelled at JR to pay attention to what he really wanted. »
Ron Harper “The guys were waving napkins: ‘Stop the killing, stop it!’ »
Horace Grant : “JR wanted to fight with everyone in the gym. »
Devean George : “When Kobe was done with him, we were almost there to say to ourselves but why he ended it like that. It must be understood that it was not against a bench driver. JR had made stats in this league. He was very talented.
Horace Grant : “For the first time in his life, JR left with his tail between his legs. »
This season marks a break in the career of JR Rider. He was a star in Portland and Minnesota – and during his brief stint in Atlanta – but he went off the rails in LA Starting as a sixth man, he was eventually dropped from the roster just before the playoffs due to a a new incident in training. He went from 19.3 to 7.6 points per game between his departure from Atlanta and his arrival at the Lakers. He only played ten games (with the Denver Nuggets) the following season before leaving the NBA for good, aged just 30.
Kobe Bryant was still a young wolf. He picked up four more NBA titles in the process, establishing himself as one of the greatest players of all time.
“He wanted to test me, it turned out badly for him. It was bad, really bad. »
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