The 2001 Lakers team was one of the greatest teams to hit the NBA court, having Phil Jackson as the head coach and a team with solid role players to complement Shaq and Kobe.
Practices were essentially playoff games, especially when Shaq and Kobe got into it.
One particular story of a practice came from guard Isaiah “JR” Rider, who famously got destroyed during 1-on-1’s and in team practice against Kobe. What Rider could do like no other on the team was bring out a fury in Kobe and get under his skin.
Shaq noticed this as well.
In a recent interview on Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes’ podcast “All The Smoke,” Rider told a story of how Shaq offered him money to get into with Kobe.
“When I first get to the Lakers, Shaq tells me, if you and Kobe get into it, it’s 10 G’s in the locker. This is three days into practice. I’m like, ‘Man, come on, you playing, man.’ ‘There’s 10 G’s in one dollar bills, if you ever get into it and you handle your business, grab that’ I couldn’t believe it, I’m like ‘Man, these boys are crazy, bro.’ But this is my thing, I would’ve been off that team so fast if I laid a hand on that man.”
