By TIM DAVID HARVEY.
"Good shot. Rice. I got a feeling about him tonight Stu", legendary play-by-play Lakers anchor Chick Hearn said from the water of the first bucket. Like the man who invented the term "Slam Dunk" knew it was all jello cooling in the refrigerator coming true. 41 for 40. On the last "party like its 1999" night between the coliseum like pearl pillars and carpet red of the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, CA, someone showed out for the Los Angeles Lakers one last time on that hallowed hardwood like history. Before the remnants of the 80's Showtime and those old trim throwback uniforms gave way to the STAPLES of a new millennium. But it wasn't Shaq or Kobe. A Robert Horry, Rick Fox or even a Derek Fisher. Instead it was the one man that was meant to turn this dynamic duo into a big-three like LeBron James before he teamed up with Anthony Davis, Glen Rice. But we all know with the Shaq and Kobe beef there was no room at the table for another star in this classic team of legendary role players. Just ask former All Star big names like Isaiah 'J.R' Rider and Mitch 'The Rock' Richmond. But Glen was still a big three, from being a three time All Star (and shooting his way to MVP one weekend like the 3 Point Contest) to making 1,559 three-pointers in his 15 year career. Throwing rice like weddings in matrimony with any team he was engaged with good fortune. The prosperity and symbolism of making it rain like Lil' Wayne. Umbrellas up. You can't stop the reign like the rap of former three-peat teammate Shaq.
MMA marks this sportsman's post Basketball career. Taking his Don King fight promotion talents to G Force Fights and the South Beach that was the sand of the prime of his career like LeBron James for the 6,8 guard/forward who won both NCAA and NBA titles before he swapped courts for canvas like a sports artist. Born in Jacksonville, Arkansas, the Flint Northwestern high schooler graduated to the maize of Michigan like a Chris Webber, Juwan Howard or Jalen Rose Fab Five with his terrific three. Glen's college alumnus raised his iconic 41 to the rafters as he helped fill the trophy cabinets and write records like leading Michigan in all-time points (2,442) and also still holding the record for a total 184 points in tourney play off 25.6 points per game and averages of 58% from the filed and 52 from three. As this consensus All-American and Big 10 player of the year also became the 1989 Final Four Most Oustanding Player. No wonder he made the iconic cover of Sports Illustrated like a Wheaties box. Clawing twine with the Wolverines like Logan was enough for this cat to go forth as the 4th pick in the 1989 draft, were he was born into the 90's golden era of the NBA with the Florida franchise and a Fresh Prince fade. Welcome to Miami, it was summer, summer, summertime everyday for the spark of nostalgia. Basketball courts in the Summer had girls there and they all saw Rice rain like a rainbow.
Expanding in the league into the 90's the Heat went straight to Rice like Curry. And like Steph Curry with the shot Rice had that splash. Today you could imagine him as a brother across the Golden Gate from Golden State to San Francisco. He averaged 13.6 points per as a rookie, but the unlucky number belonged to the Heat's 18 wins. Still, this was a young team and "give it a few years", and Rice was joined by Miami Heat legend Steve Smith and future Laker teammate no stranger to the perimeter himself Brian Shaw. This team had the makings of a young big-three, but Rice now far from a rookie or even a sophomore (no slump) was the one. Averaging 22.3 leading the pre-Wade and LeBron, even pre-Mourning and Hardaway Heat to their first playoffs before a certain number 23 gave them as quick an exit as their entrance. In the mid-90's like a Jonah Hill movie he won the Long Distance Shootout at the All Star Weekend like a moneyball and was straight cash for his 56 point career high against the big future he would have with Shaq. But Miami didn't make the playoffs this time around. And this would be his last year bringing the Heat with South Beach.
Good Charlotte would be where Rice would find his grain next from the seams of the Spalding to the hardwood he bounced the ball off as he set up downtown were the high-rises found him open. One of those sky scrapers wouldn't be Mount Zo however as Mourning made it to where he was always meant to be...Miami. Rice was the trade piece that made Zo so. But he was also the buzz in the downtown city of Charlotte that put up numbers in North Carolina like 2 and 3. With the grandmama of Hornets legend Larry Johnson, Glen Rice lead the teal to 41 wins...which seems as fitting as his classic Charlotte pinstripe throwback. The following season however with the shortlived but successful one/two gone like that (L.J. left for N.Y.C. and that perfect four point play), Rice threw in 26.8 teaming up with a new big three in late, great point forward Anthony 'Mase' Mason and Vlade Divac who was traded from the Lakers for the draft rights of none other but Kobe Bryant. It seemed like Glen would be forever subtly linked with his future with the Lakers where he would finally, one-time become a champion for the three-peat, new millennium beginnings of the year 2000. But not before becoming the 1997 All Star Game MVP off 26 points with a record 20 points in the third and 24 points in the second half. Breaking records from Philly legends Hal Greer and also Laker Wilt Chamberlain. You see the number? When Jerry West made the Laker move for Rice he traded fan favourites Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell. But with the combo wings of Eddie and Kobe and the twin peaks of Elden and Shaq for a four All Star year that also saw Nick 'The Quick' Van Exel with the fan vote, it was clear there wasn't room in Hollywood for the two of them...in both partnerships as Rice made a better three fit for at least a couple of years before the Lakers tried to ride with Rider or Richmond. Leaving Rice bobbing for Big Apples in New York with the Knicks as a Sixth Man, before journeyman-to Houston and finishing his career back in Los Angeles with the Clippers. But, still like pure water Rice was the thread pass wet jumper that was as integral to the Lakers first post Showtime, new millennium championship to the dynasty just like the vets of Ron Harper and A.C. Green (no stranger to the M.J.s of Magic and Michael) or former teammates and Miami men B. Shaw and Bad Boys own John Salley for life. But with the rival Clippers he would become only the 48th player in NBA history to amass 18,000 career points...against the Lakers of all teams. All before a career crippling knee injury called it a career after just 18 games. But forget a Sarah Palin rumor, Glen Rice's legendary legacy lives on in hoops-despite the mixed martial arts left turn like Darko Milicic-in his son Glen Rice Jr. The former Philadelphia 76ers draft choice and Washington Wizards player now balling in Saudi with Al-Fateh. And somewhere throwing rice, you know this kid shares more than a name, but the game with his dad. They say a look like that is hereditary junior.
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