FOX SPORTS

When Richard Jefferson Got Into A Fist Fight With His Teammate Kenyon Martin

In an interview with SLAM, Richard Jefferson remembered the time he got into a fist fight with teammate Kenyon Martin. During the 2001-02 NBA season, rookie Jefferson, a rookie got into some trash-talking and pushing with Bonzi Wells in a game against the Blazers. Kenyon Martin was the one who wanted to quite RJ down.

“Towards the end of the game, me and Bonzi Wells are kinda getting into it. Kenyon’s at the bottom of the free throw line and the referee tells Kenyon, ‘Tell your rookie to be quiet because I don’t wanna have to give him a technical this late into the game.’ Kenyon tells me, ‘Hey Richard, be quiet.’ Bonzi Wells goes, ‘Yeah! Listen to Kenyon and shut up.’ I just lose it. I’m like, ‘F, Bonzi! And F, you too, Kenyon!’

I go and sit down, I’m mad, pissed off. I’m sitting down and Kenyon comes in the locker room pissed off. I stand up and he pushes me down in my seat. We have a full-on fistfight. The only thing that saved me is Aaron Williams, and you remember how big he was, grabbed him from the back to try and calm him down. My last swing hits Aaron Williams in his lip and busts his lip open. At that point in time, I realize what is going on. I have no problem fighting Kenyon. Aaron? I don’t want any piece of,” RJ says still with a quiver in his voice.

It seems the only one Jefferson was afraid of, was 6-foot-9, 220-pound Williams.

Check out the full interview: SLAM interview with Richard Jefferson