Ruben Patterson facts for kids
Patterson with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2006
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 31, 1975 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | John Hay (Cleveland, Ohio) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 223 lb (101 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1998 / Round: 2 / Pick: 31st overall |
| Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Pro career | 1998–2009 |
| Career history | |
| 1998 | AEK Athens |
| 1998–1999 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1999–2001 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 2001–2006 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2006 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2006–2007 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2007 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2009 | Champville |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 6,953 (10.7 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,697 (4.2 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,150 (1.8 apg) |
Ruben Nathaniel Patterson (born July 31, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. He played as a small forward and shooting guard. During his college years at the University of Cincinnati, he was a top player. He helped his team, the Bearcats, win titles in the Conference USA.
The Los Angeles Lakers drafted Patterson in 1998. He started his career playing for a Greek team, AEK Athens BC. Then, he joined the Lakers for his first NBA season. Later, he played for other NBA teams. These included the Seattle SuperSonics, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Los Angeles Clippers. He finished his career playing for a team in Lebanon, Champville SC.
Contents
Early Life and College Basketball
Ruben Patterson grew up mostly with his mother, Charlene Patterson. He started his college basketball journey at Independence Community College in Kansas. Later, he moved to the University of Cincinnati. While playing for Cincinnati, he showed great dedication to his team. He once played a game and scored 32 points, even during a difficult personal time. He explained that his mother would have wanted him to play.
Ruben Patterson's Professional Career
Patterson was chosen in the second round of the 1998 NBA draft. He was the 31st player picked overall by the Los Angeles Lakers. Because of a player lockout in 1998, he first played in the Greek league. He played 19 games for AEK Athens BC. He averaged 12.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game there.
Playing in the NBA
After his time in Greece, Patterson joined the Lakers. He later played for several other NBA teams. These teams included the Seattle SuperSonics, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Los Angeles Clippers. Throughout his NBA career, he averaged 10.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. He even gave himself the nickname "Kobe Stopper." He believed he could play strong defense against the famous NBA star Kobe Bryant.
Patterson left the Lakers and joined the Seattle SuperSonics in 1999. He quickly became known as a strong defensive player. He was also a good shooter, finishing fourth in the league for field goal percentage. In his second season with Seattle, he started 74 out of 81 games. He was the third-highest scorer on the team, averaging 13.6 points per game. After that season, he signed with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Challenges and Trades
During his second year in Portland, Patterson faced some challenges. He had a disagreement with a teammate during practice. This event caused his teammate to pay a large fine.
Patterson was sometimes very open about his feelings. He was even temporarily suspended from the Trail Blazers in the 2005–06 season. This happened because he had a strong disagreement with his coach, Nate McMillan, about his playing time. Patterson explained that he was frustrated at the time. He also asked for more playing time or to be traded to another team.
In February 2006, Patterson was traded to the Denver Nuggets. The next year, he was traded again to the Milwaukee Bucks. In Milwaukee, Patterson had some of his best career numbers. He averaged 14.7 points and 2.9 assists per game. He also tied his career high in rebounds with 5.4 per game. Plus, he had his best field goal percentage at 55%.
On August 29, 2007, Patterson signed a contract with the Los Angeles Clippers. However, the Clippers released him on December 13, 2007. After his time in the NBA, he joined the Lebanese basketball club Champville SC.
See also
In Spanish: Ruben Patterson para niños
