Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990s New York Knicks

by Chris Herring

Nater, who played for Riley with the Lakers, says Riley noticed him reading his Bible on team flights, and that the coach expressed concern that reading it too frequently might reduce Nater’s on-court aggression.)

“I was told, ‘He doesn’t want any other voice in the room besides his own.’ And I remember that language, specifically, because I found it to be such an interesting way of putting it,”

Yes, the staffer was liked by many, he acknowledged. “But sometimes in a situation, you have to shoot a hostage in the head, then look around and say, ‘Who the fuck is next?’ ” Riley said in a serious tone.

Riley told him not to be sheepish about the fact he hadn’t been an NBA player. “These guys only care about you having four qualities: that you’re competent, sincere, reliable, and trustworthy,”