N.B.A. Player Spotlight: Three former N.B.A. greats whose careers were curtailed by substance abuse problems

Credits: Agromeck

1) David “Skywalker” Thompson: At one point in David “Skywalker” Thompson’s N.B.A. Hall of Fame career, basketball analysts were drawing comparisons between Thompson and Micheal “His Airness” Jordan. David “Skywalker” Thompson was among the elite scorers of his generation and one of only six players in N.B.A. history to score 70 points in a game (Thompson scored 73 points against the Detroit Pistons, 4/9/1978). Micheal Jordan said, “The whole meaning of vertical leap began with David Thompson.”

Bill Walton described Thompson as “Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, and LeBron James rolled into one”. With his lean 6’5″, 195 lbs. frame, Thompson’s versatility enabled him to play the shooting guard and small forward positions equally well. There haven’t been many players throughout N.B.A. history that were gifted enough to excel at multiple positions easily, the way Thompson did. He was drafted by the Virginia Squires (A.B.A.) and Atlanta Hawks (N.B.A.), respectively, as the first overall pick of the 1975 N.B.A. Draft.

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#1. Which former N.B.A. Sixth Man of the Year was banned from the league for violating the N.B.A./N.B.P.A.'s Anti-Drug policy (due to cocaine/alcohol addiction) three times?

Mitchell Wiggins

Mitchell Wiggins

Duane Washington

Duane Washington

Roy Tarpley

Roy Tarpley

Stanley Roberts

Stanley Roberts

Javaris Crittenton

Javaris Crittenton

Micheal Ray Richardson

Micheal Ray Richardson

Finish

He played nine N.B.A. seasons and was a four-time N.B.A. All-Star, including the 1979 All-Star Game’s Most Valuable Player. He played for the Denver Nuggets (A.B.A.) and Seattle Supersonics (N.B.A.), respectively, accumulating an impressive 22.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game career average. Unfortunately, his subsequent substance abuse problems coupled with persistent injuries, would be the proverbial “nail in the coffin” of his illustrious, short-lived N.B.A./A.B.A. career. In Thompson’s own words, “I had the ability to be one of the greatest players in the game and I blew it.”

2) Shawn “Reign Man” Kemp: During the early-to-mid nineties, Shawn Kemp was considered amongst the elite power forwards in the N.B.A. Kemp’s dominant, high-flying performances on the court with the Seattle Supersonics had N.B.A. analysts often mentioning Kemp in the same breath with N.B.A Hall of Famer’s “Sir” Charles Barkley and Karl “The Mailman” Malone, respectively. Shawn “Reign Man” Kemp’s athleticism, dunking and shot blocking prowess had attained legendary status in N.B.A. folklore. Frequently on the receiving end of a no-look alley-oop pass from former Seattle Supersonics Hall of Fame point guard Gary “The Glove” Payton, Kemp would captivate many an N.B.A. basketball fan with his athletic, rim-rocking dunks.

He was especially a Supersonics fan favorite, frequently thrilling the former Seattle Center Coliseum crowd with yet another highlight-reel two-handed power dunk. Kemp began his career as a young basketball prodigy on the rise at Concord High School in Elkhart, Indiana (Kemp’s hometown). He would eventually foregoe college basketball due to various reasons, and declare himself eligible for the 1989 N.B.A. Draft at the age of 19. Although I’m a die-hard Los Angeles Lakers fan, I used to enjoy watching the Seattle Supersonics games (especially home games), for the sole purpose of being able to witness the dazzling Kemp-Payton tandem work their magic. During Kemp’s 14-season N.B.A. career, he was a six-time N.B.A. All-Star and three-time All-N.B.A. Second Team selection, among other notable feats and awards. He was the 17th pick overall by the Seattle Supersonics in the 1989 N.B.A. Draft; without question one of the best draft picks in Supersonics franchise history. He scored 15,347 total career points, with a 14.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.2 blocks per game career average, respectively. He is widely recognized amongst basketball analysts as one of the best dunkers, shot blockers and power forwards in N.B.A. history. At a tremendously athletic and powerful 6’10”, 230 lbs, Kemp played the power forward position for the Seattle Supersonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trailblazers and Orlando Magic, respectively. Towards the end of his N.B.A. career while playing with the Cavaliers and Trailblazers, was when Kemp started to battle weight and substance abuse problems. He reportedly showed up to the Cavaliers training camp prior to the lockout shortened 1997-1998 N.B.A. season, weighing an unhealthy 280 lbs. Kemp also had periodic bouts with alcohol and cocaine abuse during his seasons with the Trailblazers (2000-2002). After leaving the Trailblazers, the “Reign Man” would unfortunately never regain his previous N.B.A. All-Star form, playing one season for Premiata Montegranaro (Rome) of the Italian Serie A basketball league. He then made various unsuccessful comeback attemps with the Dallas Mavericks (2004-2005), Denver Nuggets (2005-2006) and Chicago Bulls (2005-2006), respectively. It’s unfortunate that the “The Reign Man” wasn’t able to take flight again like the Shawn Kemp of old; his post-Supersonics years were marred by nagging injuries, obesity and substance abuse. It’s even more unfortunate that Kemp had to end his brilliant career on a somewhat sour note; retiring from professional basketball as one the greatest players not to win neither an N.B.A. championship nor be elected to the N.B.A. Hall of Fame (as of June 2018).

3) Isaiah “J.R.” Rider: During the early-to-mid nineties, Isaiah “J.R.” Rider was one of the N.B.A.’s most explosive swingman and considered amongst the elite shooting guards of his generation. Rider was blessed with a powerful, quick first step; a prototypical slasher that could hurt you equally from the outside with his consistent long-range jumpshot. Rider used to keep me on the edge of my seat when he would receive the ball at the top of the key, blow past the defender, charge down the lane and take flight on the opposing team’s power forward or center. Hailing from Oakland, California, Rider played college basketball at the University of Las Vegas at Nevada (U.N.L.V. Runnin’ Rebels) and ended up being drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves as the 5th pick overall of the 1993 N.B.A. Draft. He was a 1994 N.B.A. All-Rookie First Team selection and the 1994 N.B.A. Slam Dunk Champion, winning said dunk contest with one of the most memorable dunks in N.B.A. history; the acrobatic “East Bay Funk Dunk”. With his muscular 6’5″, 215 lbs frame, the opposing teams two-guard on any given night, was often no match for “J.R.” physically. Rider amassed 9,405 total career points throughout his nine-year N.B.A. career, with a 16.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game career average. He played with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trailblazers, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets, winning an N.B.A. championship in 2001 with the Shaquille O’Neal-led Lakers. His best years were his three years with the Timberwolves, where he averaged 19 points per game. He also performed well during the 1997-1998 N.B.A. season, when he led the Trailblazers in scoring (19.7 points per game), three pointers made (135) and dropped a season-high 38 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists against the Toronto Raptors (2/1/1998). His legal problems began in 1996, when he received a couple of marijuana possession and other drug-related charges/citations in Clackamas County, Oregon and his hometown Oakland, California, respectively. Rider reached his self-admitted “low point of my life” in 2007, after he was sentenced to seven months in jail after pleading guilty to cocaine possession, evading the police and battery. It’s unfortunate that Rider’s N.B.A. career was so short-lived, lasting only nine seasons. I can only imagine how Rider’s career would of panned out had he never had substance abuse/legal issues.

Below are some David “Skywalker” Thompson, Shawn “Reign Man” Kemp and Isaiah “J.R.” Rider basketball career statistics:

David “Skywalker” Thompson Profile and Fast Facts

David “Skywalker” Thompson Career Highlights and Awards

David “Skywalker” Thompson N.C.A.A. College Basketball Career Statistics

David “Skywalker” Thompson N.B.A. Regular Season Career Statistics

David “Skywalker” Thompson N.B.A. Playoffs Career Statistics

Shawn “Reign Man” Kemp Profile and Fast Facts

Shawn “Reign Man” Kemp Career Highlights and Awards

Shawn “Reign Man” Kemp N.B.A. Regular Season Career Statistics

Shawn “Reign Man” Kemp N.B.A. Playoffs Career Statistics

Isaiah “J.R.” Rider Profile and Fast Facts

Isaiah “J.R.” Rider Career Highlights and Awards

Isaiah “J.R.” Rider N.B.A. Regular Season Career Statistics

Isaiah “J.R.” Rider N.B.A. Playoffs Career Statistics

David “Skywalker” Thompson scores 40 points – Denver Nuggets vs Portland Trail Blazers 1976-77 N.B.A. Western Conference Semi-finals Game 3 (April 24, 1977)

David “Skywalker” Thompson Career Highlights

Shawn “Reign Man” Kemp Career Dunks and Highlights

Shawn “Reign Man” Kemp Top One Hundred Dunks

Isaiah “J.R.” Rider 1994 N.B.A. Slam Dunk Contest Highlights (including “J.R.” Rider “East Bay Funk Dunk”)

Isaiah “J.R.” Rider scores 29 points – 1995-96 N.B.A. Regular Season Game Highlights – Chicago Bulls vs Minnesota Timberwolves (February 16, 1996)

Sources: Wikipedia–https://www.en.wikipedia.org, N.B.A. —https://www.nba.com, E.S.P.N.–https://www.espn.com, Basketball Reference–https://www.basketball-reference.com, YouTube–https://www.youtube.com