Former NBA guard Micheal Ray Richardson passed away at age 70 on Tuesday in Oklahoma following a battle with prostate cancer, per Marc J. Spears of ESPN.
Nicknamed ‘Sugar,’ Richardson was the fourth overall pick out of Montana in 1978 and spent his first four seasons in the NBA with the Knicks, earning three All-Star nods and a pair of All-Defensive first team berths during that time.
He subsequently played for the Warriors and Nets, making another All-Star team for New Jersey in 1985, before being banned from the league in 1986 for repeated violations of the NBA’s drug policy (testing positive for cocaine use).
Richardson continued to play in non-NBA leagues well into his 40s, spending time in the United States Basketball League and the Continental Basketball Association before playing in Europe from 1988-2002. He later coached multiple non-NBA teams in the United States and Canada.
In 556 career NBA appearances, Richardson averaged 14.8 points, 7.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.6 steals in 33.4 minutes per game. He led the league in steals per game three times and was also the NBA’s assist leader in 1979/80.
“The basketball world and anyone Micheal came in contact with lost a great sportsman,” Richardson’s attorney and friend John Zelbst said in a statement to Spears. “He lived life to the fullest. He overcame the most incredible odds to accommodate what he did in life. He serves as an example on how to redeem yourself and make something of yourself. I think he is the greatest NBA player that has never been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Incredible player, player, person and family man.”
“ ‘cheal Ray”!
Good dude. Rest in Peace
RIP 🙏 Michael Ray ….
was supposed to be another Magic. 2way talent with big potential. Had some troubles growing up. Was a good Knicks PG. 1978 4th overall pick for Knicks.
Was a good ride player god speed.
Agreed! Due to my age I remember him on the Nets the most. But he was a solid player
4 years younger, was Magic another Micheal Ray?
They came in around same time. Magic was drafted in 1979. Magic was 3-4 yrs younger. I saw an interview with Magic after he retired. He talked about MRR. That growing up in HS he had heard about him being this big PG.
link to google.com
RIP to a true baller. Some fun facts: Knicks traded Phil Jackson for his draft pick, then years later the Knicks traded him for Bernard King.
Another fun fact untreated to the legendary Sugar Ray: Bernard King made 23 3s in his entire career. As a 6-7 volume scorer. He’d be out of the NBA and playing in Europe or China by the time he was 25 if he played today (or he’d just obsessively learn to become at least an adequate 3 point shooter).. Still crazy. Such a different game back then.
Surprised you didn’t really mention the drug problems but many people did at that point
Bernard King would still dominate in this era. Back before 1992 many teams didn’t want to shoot 3pt shots because it wasn’t the safe shot which is off the backboard layup. Coaches would be irate if you shot more than 2 or 3 in a game(as a single player) . I’m sure if all the players off the past were given a green light like these rich players off today with yes men coaches would love to launch 3s all day. The 3pt shot came from the ABA really. NBA history would be different if Jerry West and others had a 3pt point line
The game was more competitive back then. Bernard would be a Super Rich mans DeMar DeRozan meaning much better then DeRozan.
Players today couldn’t dribble or play better defense than anyone even from the 50’s era
RIP Richardson. He would be legend in this era
Not a fun fact. Go look up King’s arrest record while in the NBA
King was one of greatest scorers shooters ever. Have you ever watched him. He’d have no problem shooting threes. Teams didn’t shoot threes till after 2010. Kings retired in 1993. The NBA team avg for threes in 1992 was 5 per game. Got nothing to do with King …..