Ruben Patterson
From Hoopedia
| Ruben Patterson | ||
|---|---|---|
 Patterson playing for the Clippers. | ||
| Small forward / Shooting guard | ||
| Born: July 31, 1975 Cleveland, Ohio | ||
| Height: 6 ft 5 in | Weight: 223 lbs | |
| Debut | ||
| February 5, 1999 for the Los Angeles Lakers | ||
| Last appearance | ||
| December 12, 2007 for the Los Angeles Clippers | ||
| Career information | ||
| College: Cincinnati | ||
| NBA Draft: 1998; 1st round / 31st pick Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers | ||
| Teams | ||
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| Career highlights and awards | ||
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| Ruben Patterson at NBA.com | ||
Ruben Nathaniel Patterson (born July 31, 1975 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American former professional basketball Small forward/Shooting guard. During his college career at the University of Cincinnati, Patterson earned third team All-American honors and helped lead the Bearcats to Conference USA titles in both of his seasons there.
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Early Life
At an early age, Patterson had a troubled family life, when both parents and one of his sisters battled drug addiction, and his father spent time in prison. As a youth, he lived mostly with his mother, Charlene Patterson, who eventually died of a heart attack when he was at the University of Cincinnati.
After hearing of her death while on a road trip, he rejected an offer to fly home and spend time with his family, instead staying with his team for the game and scoring 37 points. "My mother would have wanted me to play," Patterson later explained.
Patterson began his college career at Independence Community College in the small town of Independence, Kansas. He later transferred to the the University of Cinncinati .
NBA Career
Patterson was a second-round selection of the 1998 NBA Draft (31st pick overall), chosen by the Los Angeles Lakers. Due to the lock-out season of 1998, he started the season in Greece playing with AEK Athens BC where he averaged 12.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in 19 games. He has since played for the Lakers, the Seattle SuperSonics, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Denver Nuggets, and the Milwaukee Bucks, averaging a career 10.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. He nicknamed himself the "Kobe Stopper" after playing strong defense against NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, but has long since disowned the nickname.
Often outspoken and erratic, Patterson was temporarily suspended from the Trail Blazers in the 2005-2006 season for speaking harshly at coach Nate McMillan and refusing to return to a game, upset about his lack of playing time. Patterson later explained his outburst, saying he was frustrated and it was "like the devil hit me and told me to get it out". He also demanded that he get at least 25 minutes per game or be traded.
In February 2006, Patterson was traded to the Denver Nuggets. In the following offseason, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for Joe Smith.
Personal
Patterson has been involved in a number of off-the-court issues during his basketball career. Patterson must register himself as a sex offender in the state where he lives due to pleading guilty in 2001 to attempted rape of his child’s nanny in September 2000. It was reported that he forced the nanny to perform a sex act on him. Also in February 2001, Patterson was convicted of misdemeanor assault for attacking a man who scratched his car outside a Cleveland, Ohio night club. Patterson was arrested in 2002 for felony domestic abuse charges on his wife. His wife later dropped the charges and they later divorced.
He was accused of failing to register as a sex offender on May 15, 2007 after moving into a new house in Cincinnati and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
On March 27, 2010, Patterson was arrested in Hamilton County, Ohio on DUI charges after it was found that his blood alcohol level was .117. On July 26, 2010, Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Bernie Bouchard sentenced him to a $500 fine and a 3 day driving program. She also ordered Patterson not to consume alcohol for 18 months.
