{"id":124002,"date":"2016-04-12T14:22:20","date_gmt":"2016-04-12T21:22:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bilcomprd.wpengine.com\/?p=124002"},"modified":"2024-01-15T15:22:49","modified_gmt":"2024-01-15T23:22:49","slug":"storytime-the-day-kobe-bryant-destroyed-a-trash-talking-jr-rider-in-practice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ballislife.com\/storytime-the-day-kobe-bryant-destroyed-a-trash-talking-jr-rider-in-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"Storytime: The Day Kobe Bryant Destroyed A Trash-Talking JR Rider In Practice"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the recent must-read article \"How We'll Remember Kobe Bryant<\/a>\" on The Players' Tribune, four of Kobe's former teammates -- Horace Grant, Ron Harper, Brian Shaw and Devean George -- shared some of their favorite memories from playing alongside Bryant during the 2000 Lakers Dynasty. The most memorable one by far came at the expense of another teammate, the one and only Isaiah \"J.R.\" Rider.<\/p>\n

Before we get into the story about a young frobe \"destroying\" the inventor of the East Bay Funk Dunk, let me give you a little background story. I've had the pleasure of knowing Rider over the past four or so years and have conducted a few interviews with him, including a 90-minute tell-all one a few months ago. During that interview, which hasn't been released yet, he had a lot of positive things to say about Kobe, talked about going at him in practices and how he used to \"get buckets\" against him during the late 90s, when Rider was rolling with the Jailblazers and the Lakers were getting swept every year in the playoffs. He also said going to LA was the \"death of his career.<\/p>\n

According to Rider, Phil Jackson and Shaq convinced him to come to LA instead of joining the Miami Heat for more money. At first, it seemed like a good decision but it wasn't long until Rider -- a starter his entire career - went from 6th man to last guy off the bench. After an \"incident\" in practice, Jackson was done with him and left him off the playoff roster. His biggest contribution to basketball during that championship run was appearing in the iconic photo of Iverson stepping over Tyronn Lue.<\/p>\n

I have no idea what happened during that day in practice that pretty much destroyed the rest of his NBA career, but thanks to a few of his other teammates, I now know about that day in practice when Kobe Bryant \"destroyed\" him.<\/p>\n

Enjoy and sorry JR!<\/p>\n