Former NBA star Isaiah Rider arrested in Arizona

Former NBA player Isaiah Rider has been arrested after allegedly breaching a court-issued protective order involving his wife.

Police records show the 54-year-old was taken into custody on 4 December and charged with one count of interfering with judicial proceedings.

According to court documents, Rider’s wife, Vanessa, filed for a protective order in July, claiming he had been aggressive towards her and her 15-year-old son during past incidents. Rider denied the allegations at the time, saying the filing came after he sought a divorce in late 2024. The order barred him from contacting his wife or her son and required him to stay away from their home and school.

A hearing is scheduled for 17 December to determine whether the order should remain in place.

Rider, known as J.R., played nine NBA seasons with Minnesota, Portland, Atlanta, the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver. He won the 1994 Slam Dunk Contest and was part of the Lakers’ 2001 championship team, although he was not included on the playoff roster.

Rider has not commented publicly on the charge.