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Former Laker Smush Parker Attempting NBA Comeback… As A Referee!

Do you guys remember Smush Parker? He is most famous for his two years with the Los Angeles Lakers alongside Kobe Bryant. The two still own the record for most combined points by a starting backcourt-duo in NBA history with 94.

In the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, Parker played in all 82 games both seasons, starting every game except two. He averaged 11.3 points, 3.2 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game in Phil Jackson’s triangle offense without a true point guard.

But even though Kobe Bryant was Parker’s backcourt partner, he wasn’t allowed to speak to him.

“He told me one day at practice — I tried to talk to him outside of basketball about football. And he looked at me in practice and was dead serious and said, ‘You can’t talk to me. You need more accolades under your belt before you come talk to me.”

Smush and Kobe never really got along while playing together. Something that apparently hasn’t changed after Parker retired from the NBA. In 2012, Bryant said that Parker was the worst teammate he’s ever had and that he shouldn’t have been in the NBA.

While Parker indeed has been out of the league since 2007-08, he’s now attempting a comeback. But it’s not as it seems, Smush Parker is trying to make his NBA comeback as a referee.

16-year NBA veteran Smush Parker is working towards a career as a NBA official

(via @SmushParker21, @madehoops) pic.twitter.com/rMJnk5YEUj

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 10, 2023

There’s only been 3 other Former NBA Athletes to make the journey back into the NBA as an Official

Bernie Fryer
Leon Wood
Haywoode Workman

I’m working on being the 4th..!!!#NBA#JourneyBackToTheNBA https://t.co/DZW4KV1amr

— Smush Parker (@SmushParker21) January 11, 2023