Isaiah Rider facts for kids

Isaiah Rider Jr., known as J.R. (born March 12, 1971), is an American former professional basketball player. He played for nine seasons in the NBA.

Rider was born in Oakland, California. He grew up in nearby Alameda. He was a talented player in both baseball and basketball at Encinal High School. Later, he played college basketball for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). After college, he joined the National Basketball Association.

Early Life and College Basketball

Isaiah Rider was a top high school basketball player. He was 6 feet 5 inches tall. He played at Encinal High School in Alameda, California.

Rider first attended two junior colleges. He played at Allen County Community College in Iola, Kansas. There, he scored over 30 points per game. Then he went to Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, California. He averaged 33 points per game there. Finally, he joined UNLV.

During the 1991–1992 season, Rider helped the UNLV Runnin' Rebels. They had a great record of 26 wins and 2 losses. They were ranked number 7 in the country. Rider scored over 21 points per game. In his senior year, he was even better. He averaged 29.1 points per game. This was the second-highest in the country. He was named the Big West Conference Player of the Year. He also earned 2nd-Team All-American honors.

Professional Basketball Career

Playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves (1993–1996)

The Minnesota Timberwolves chose Rider as the 5th pick in the 1993 NBA draft. He started his NBA career very well. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in his first season. In 1994, he won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He performed a special dunk he called "The East Bay Funk Dunk."

Rider also made a famous shot on December 22, 1994. In a game against the Sacramento Kings, he lost control of the ball. It was almost out of bounds. He threw the ball blindly over his shoulder. The ball went right into the hoop for a three-point basket! An announcer called it the "Play of the decade." Rider averaged 19 points per game in his three years with the Timberwolves.

Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers (1996–1999)

In the 1997–98 season, Rider was a key player for the Portland Trail Blazers. He led the team in scoring. He averaged 19.7 points per game. He also made 135 three-pointers. On February 1, 1998, he scored a season-high 38 points against the Toronto Raptors. In the 1998–99 season, Rider averaged 13.9 points per game. He was the team's top scorer 13 times that season.

Playing for the Atlanta Hawks (1999–2000)

After the 1998–99 season, Rider was traded to the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks hoped he would help their team. Rider played well on the court. He led the Hawks in scoring.

Playing for the Los Angeles Lakers (2000–2001)

Rider played in 67 games for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2000–01 NBA season. He was a strong player coming off the bench. He averaged 7.6 points per game. The Lakers won the championship that year. Even though he was not on the playoff roster, Rider received a championship ring.

Playing for the Denver Nuggets (2001)

Before the 2001–02 NBA season, the Denver Nuggets signed Rider. They hoped he could boost their offense. However, Rider played only 10 games for the Nuggets. He was released on November 20, 2001.

In his NBA career, Isaiah Rider played 563 games. He scored a total of 9,405 points. He averaged 16.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

Life After Basketball

After his NBA career, Isaiah Rider focused on new projects. He announced plans for a documentary about his life. It is called My Testimony: Raw and Uncut.

Rider also started a charity for children. It is called the Sky Rider Foundation. He wants to help kids join activities. He knows that sports and clubs can be expensive. He said, "If a kid has dreams to be somebody, I want to help."

Music Career

In 1994, an album called B-Ball's Best Kept Secret was released. It featured songs by NBA players. Isaiah Rider, credited as J.R., had a song on the album. His track was called "Funk in the Trunk."