 Richardson withVirtus Bologna in 1988 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1955-04-11)April 11, 1955 Lubbock, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | November 11, 2025(2025-11-11) (aged 70) Lawton, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 189 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Manual (Denver, Colorado) |
| College | Montana (1974–1978) |
| NBA draft | 1978: 1st round, 4th overall pick |
| Drafted by | New York Knicks |
| Playing career | 1978–2002 |
| Position | Point guard /shooting guard |
| Number | 20 |
| Coaching career | 2004–2014 |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 1978–1982 | New York Knicks |
| 1982–1983 | Golden State Warriors |
| 1983–1986 | New Jersey Nets |
| 1987 | Long Island Knights |
| 1987–1988 | Albany Patroons |
| 1988–1991 | Virtus Bologna |
| 1991–1992 | Split |
| 1992–1994 | Livorno |
| 1994–1997 | Olympique Antibes |
| 1997–1998 | Cholet Basket |
| 1998–1999 | Montana Forlì |
| 1999–2000 | Livorno |
| 2001 | Olympique Antibes |
| 2002 | AC Golfe-Juan-Vallauris |
Coaching | |
| 2004–2007 | Albany Patroons |
| 2007–2011 | Oklahoma / Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry |
| 2011–2014 | London Lightning |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 8,253 (14.8 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 3,056 (5.5 rpg) |
| Assists | 3,899 (7.0 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Michael Ray Richardson (April 11, 1955 – November 11, 2025), first name more commonly spelledMicheal[a] and known by the nickname "Sugar", was an American professionalbasketball player and head coach. He playedcollege basketball for theMontana Grizzlies. The fourth overall pick in the1978 NBA draft, Richardson played in theNational Basketball Association (NBA) for eight years with theNew York Knicks,Golden State Warriors, andNew Jersey Nets. He was a four-timeNBA All-Star and two-timeNBA All-Defensive First Team selection who led the league insteals in three seasons.[4]
In 1986, Richardson was banned for life by NBA commissionerDavid Stern after testing positive forcocaine for a third time in three seasons. He was the first active NBA player to be banned by the league. He was reinstated by the NBA in 1988, but decided to continue his career in Europe and never played in the NBA again. Richardson later became a head coach in theContinental Basketball Association (CBA) andNational Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada).
Richardson was born on April 11, 1955, inLubbock, Texas,[5] the son of Billy Jack Richardson and Luddie Hicks.[6] Richardson was a 1974 graduate ofManual High School inDenver, Colorado. He averaged 10 points on a talented team and did not start for the varsity team until he was a senior. Richardson played on the 1972 state championship team.[7]
Richardson played collegiately at theUniversity of Montana. He was recruited to theBig Sky Conference school by Hall of Fame coachJud Heathcote after Richardson's Denver basketball friend David Berry had visited the school.[8] As a freshman in 1974–1975, theGrizzlies went 21–8 and qualified for the1975 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament, as Richardson averaged 7.5 points and 3.6rebounds. The Grizzlies defeatedUtah State 79–63, before losing to the eventual national championUCLA Bruins 67–64. Montana then lost toUNLV in the regional 3rd place game.[9] Richardson averaged 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.8assists as a sophomore in 1975–1976, as Montana finished 13–12. After the season, Heathcote left forMichigan State University, where he would win the 1979 NCAA title.[10] Under coachJim Brandenburg, who had been an assistant under Heathcote, Richardson averaged 19.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists as Montana finished 18–8 in 1976–1977.[11] As a senior, Richardson averaged 24.2 points and 6.9 rebounds in 1977–1978, and Montana finished 20–8, capturing the Big Sky regular-season title.[12] In his Montana career, Richardson averaged 17.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on 49% shooting in 107 career games. Richardson was first-team All-Big Sky Conference as a sophomore, junior, and senior.[13] Today,[as of?] Richardson still shares the Montana single-game scoring record of 40 points, and holds the single-game record forfield goals of 18 and the single-season scoring average record of 24.2. Richardson is third on the Montana career assists list (372), second in career scoring (1,827 points), and ninth in career rebounding.[14]
TheNew York Knicks selected Richardson with the fourth overall pick in the1978 NBA draft, and he was promoted as "the nextWalt Frazier".[15] Two picks later, theBoston Celtics drafted futureHall of FamerLarry Bird. In his second year, Richardson became the third player in NBA history to lead the league in both assists (10.1) andsteals (3.2),[b][5] establishing Knicks' franchise records in both categories.[15] He also recorded 18triple-doubles, the second-most in franchise history. During the1980-81 NBA season, Richardson made his secondAll-Star game, scoring 11 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, and recording 4 steals in a 123–120 Eastern Conference victory.[18] The Knicks eventually finished 50–32 and Richardson made the playoffs for the first time in his career. However, in the first round, Richardson, who averaged 11.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 3.5 steals per game in the series, and the Knicks lost in an upset to theReggie Theus-led Chicago Bulls.[19] The following season, on November 27, 1981, Richardson scored his highest single game total as a Knick, with 33 points in a 116–95 win over theCleveland Cavaliers.[20]
At the beginning of the 1982–83 season, on October 22, 1982, Richardson was traded to theGolden State Warriors (along with a fifth-round draft choice) in exchange forBernard King. On February 5, 1983, Richardson recorded adouble-double with 10 points and 11 assists, while adding a career-high nine steals, in a 106–102 win over theSan Antonio Spurs.[3][21] On February 6, 1983, after playing only 33 games for the Warriors, Richardson was traded to theNew Jersey Nets in exchange forSleepy Floyd andMickey Johnson.[3]
In the 1984 playoffs, Richardson led the Nets to a shocking upset of the defending championPhiladelphia 76ers. In the fifth and deciding game, he scored 24 points and had six steals. In the following series, against theMilwaukee Bucks, Richardson led the Nets to a Game 4 victory with a team high 24 points.[22] However, the Nets would ultimately lose the series in six games. In 1985, Richardson was named theNBA Comeback Player of the Year after averaging 20.1 points and leading the league in steals while playing all 82 games, after only playing 48 games in the prior season due to rehabilitating from substance abuse.[23] On October 30, 1985, Richardson barely missed aquadruple-double when he scored 38 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, recorded 11 assists, and tied his career-high with nine steals, during a 147–138 win over theIndiana Pacers.[3][24][25] Richardson wore LeatherConverse All Stars briefly with the Nets, making him the last to wear the shoe in any form in the NBA.[26]
On February 25, 1986, Richardson wasbanned for life by NBA commissionerDavid Stern after testing positive for cocaine for a third time in three seasons. He was the first active NBA player to be banned by the league.[27] He regained the right to play in the NBA in 1988,[28] but decided to continue his career in Europe.[29] He never played in the NBA again.[30]
Richardson played with the Long Island Knights of theUnited States Basketball League for two months in 1987.[31][32]
Richardson played with theAlbany Patroons of theContinental Basketball Association (CBA) during the 1987–88 season and won theCBA championship.[33]
In 1988, Richardson signed withVirtus Bologna, a prominent European team. In 1988–89 Virtus won its third Italian Cup, but it was defeated in the semi-finals for the national championship againstEnichem Livorno.[34] Despite the playoffs' elimination, the season was considered a rebirth for Virtus: the national cup was the team's first trophy since 1984 and the great performances of Richardson had brought back the passion for basketball in the city. This period became known as "Sugar-mania", from Richardson's historic nickname.[35][36] Virtus won the Italian Cup again and on 13 March 1990, won its first European title, theFIBA European Cup Winners' Cup, thesecond-tier level European-wide competition, defeating 79–74 theReal Madrid coached byGeorge Karl. The final was characterized by an outstanding performance of Richardson, able to score 29 points.[37]
He then played forKK Split (1991–1992),Baker Livorno (1992–1994),Olympique Antibes (1994–1997),Cholet Basket (1997–1998), andMontana Forlì (1998–1999). Richardson played forBasket Livorno (1999–2000),Olympique Antibes again (2001) and finally, AC Golfe-Juan-Vallauris (2002) at age 47.[38]
Richardson won theEuropean-wide second-tier levelFIBA Cup Winners' Cup, in the1989–90 season with Virtus Bologna. He won theLNB Pro A championship withOlympique Antibes in 1995.[38]
At 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and 189 pounds (86 kg)[3], Richardson was bigger than the average point guard in his era.[15] In 556 career NBA games, he averaged 14.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 2.6 steals. In 18 career NBA playoff games, he averaged 15.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.8 steals.[3]Isiah Thomas said that Richardson was the player that gave him the most problems.[39] "He had it all as a player, with no weaknesses in his game".[5] After Richardson was banned from the NBA in 1986, sportswriterBob Ryan wrote in theBoston Globe: "At his best, Micheal Ray Richardson is a 6-foot-5-inchMagic Johnson."[40] Johnson said, "When I was playing, the one player I enjoyed watching more than anyone else was Sugar Ray Richardson. When I saw him, I saw a smaller version of me."[5]
On December 14, 2004, he was named head coach of theAlbany Patroons in theCBA.[41] Richardson had previously played with Albany in 1987–1988, when it won its second CBA championship under coachBill Musselman.[42]
On March 28, 2007, Richardson was suspended for the remainder of the CBA championship series for comments in an interview with theAlbany Times Union, in which he stated thatJews were "crafty (because) they are hated worldwide."[43] The paper also reported that Richardson directed expletives at a heckler, using profanity and an anti-gay slur, at Game 1 of the championship series.[44] Some sportswriters came to Richardson's defense, in the wake of the incident.Peter Vecsey questioned theTimes Union's motives in not releasing the audio recording of their exchange with Richardson. Vecsey noted that during the course of his professional dealings with Richardson, he found the player to be "so unsettled, so unsophisticated and so pliable anybody could draw him into saying anything about anything at any time." He also pointed out that Richardson's second wife was Jewish, as was their daughter, Tamara, something that would be unlikely for a trueanti-Semite.[45] Christopher Isenberg, a Jewish writer who had earlier profiled Richardson for theVillage Voice,[46] also defended Richardson's remarks about Jews in a blog post entitled "Jews for Micheal Ray".[47] NBA commissionerDavid Stern, who was Jewish, voiced support for Richardson. While conceding that the remarks about homosexuals were "inappropriate and insensitive" and worthy of a suspension, Stern said, "I have no doubt that Micheal Ray is not anti-Semitic. I know that he's not...He may have exercised very poor judgment, but that does not reflect Micheal Ray Richardson's feelings about Jews."[48]Ze'ev Chafets wrote in theLos Angeles Times that Richardson's comments, while perhaps stereotypical, were not anti-semitic.[49]
On May 24, 2007, Richardson was named head coach of the reincarnatedOklahoma Cavalry of theCBA.[50] On December 16, 2007, he was fired by the Cavalry, for sticking up for his players when their paychecks bounced, but rehired the next season.[51]
Richardson coached for the relocated Lawton-Ft Sill Cavalry located inLawton, Oklahoma, winning three consecutive championships in 2008–2010. Richardson led the Cavalry to victory to the Continental Basketball Association Finals in 2008 and 2009 and in thePremiere Basketball League Finals in 2010.[4] Richardson was ejected from the first game of the 2010Premiere Basketball League Championship Series. The ejection took place with under three seconds remaining in the game, eventually won by Rochester in overtime 110–106. The ejection led to a skirmish between fans and several Lawton-Fort Sill players which ended the game with 2.6 seconds to go on the clock and Rochester about to go to the free-throw line.[52]
On August 17, 2011, Richardson was hired as the first head coach ofNBL Canada'sLondon Lightning.[53] Richardson was named the NBL Canada's first ever Coach of the Month for November 2011, an award he would win again in January 2012.[54] London finished the regular season at 28–8. On March 25, 2012, Richardson led the Lightning to a 116–92 victory over theHalifax Rainmen in the deciding Game Five of the NBL Canada Finals to win the NBL Canada's inaugural championship. After the game, Richardson was named the NBL Canada Coach of the Year for 2011–12.[55] On April 12, 2013, Richardson led the London to an 87–80 victory over the Summerside Storm and the team became back to back NBL champions.[56] Richardson left the London Lightning following the 2013–14 season to pursue coaching positions closer to home.[57]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| * | Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978–79 | New York | 72 | 16.9 | .414 | .539 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 1.4 | .3 | 6.5 | ||
| 1979–80 | New York | 82 | 82 | 37.3 | .472 | .245 | .660 | 6.6 | 10.1* | 3.2* | .4 | 15.3 |
| 1980–81 | New York | 79 | 40.2 | .469 | .225 | .663 | 6.9 | 7.9 | 2.9 | .4 | 16.4 | |
| 1981–82 | New York | 82 | 79 | 37.1 | .461 | .188 | .700 | 6.9 | 7.0 | 2.6 | .5 | 17.9 |
| 1982–83 | Golden State | 33 | 25 | 32.5 | .412 | .129 | .632 | 4.4 | 7.4 | 3.1* | .3 | 12.5 |
| 1982–83 | New Jersey | 31 | 26 | 32.3 | .438 | .200 | .671 | 4.8 | 6.0 | 2.6 | .5 | 12.7 |
| 1983–84 | New Jersey | 48 | 25 | 26.8 | .460 | .241 | .704 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 2.1 | .4 | 12.0 |
| 1984–85 | New Jersey | 82 | 82 | 38.1 | .469 | .252 | .767 | 5.6 | 8.2 | 3.0* | .3 | 20.1 |
| 1985–86 | New Jersey | 47 | 39 | 34.1 | .448 | .148 | .788 | 5.3 | 7.2 | 2.7 | .2 | 15.7 |
| Career[3] | 556 | 358 | 33.4 | .457 | .220 | .690 | 5.5 | 7.0 | 2.6 | .4 | 14.8 | |
| All-Star[3] | 4 | 0 | 17.5 | .469 | .000 | .500 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | .0 | 8.0 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | New York | 2 | 43.0 | .242 | .000 | .583 | 9.5 | 5.5 | 3.5 | .0 | 11.5 | |
| 1983 | New Jersey | 2 | 29.0 | .381 | .000 | .600 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | .0 | 9.5 | |
| 1984 | New Jersey | 11 | 40.3 | .408 | .273 | .732 | 4.9 | 7.2 | 3.1 | .4 | 16.8 | |
| 1985 | New Jersey | 3 | 3 | 41.7 | .404 | .000 | .643 | 6.0 | 11.3 | 1.3 | .0 | 18.3 |
| Career[3] | 18 | 3 | 39.6 | .386 | .207 | .690 | 5.5 | 7.2 | 2.8 | .2 | 15.7 | |
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | PG | PW | PL | Win % | Result | ||
| LDN | 2011–12 | 36 | 28 | 8 | .778 | 1st in Conference | 7 | 5 | 2 | .714 | Won NBL championship |
| LDN | 2012–13 | 40 | 33 | 7 | .825 | 1st in Conference | 8 | 6 | 2 | .750 | Won NBL championship |
| LDN | 2013–14 | 40 | 23 | 17 | .575 | 4th in Conference | 12 | 6 | 6 | .500 | Conference Semi-Finals |
| LDN total | 116 | 84 | 32 | .724 | – | 27 | 17 | 10 | .630 | – | |
| Total[60] | 116 | 84 | 32 | .724 | – | 27 | 17 | 10 | .630 | – | |
Richardson lived inLawton, Oklahoma. He had 11 grandchildren. Richardson put on youth basketball clinics withOtis Birdsong, his longtime friend and former teammate. He worked for a financial firm, and he and his wife, Kimberly, owned a beauty salon.[58] His son,Amir Richardson, is a professional soccer player who representsACF Fiorentina of theSerie A and theMorocco national team.[61]
He changed the spelling of his first name from "Michael" to "Micheal" in 1983.[1]
Richardson was the subject of the TNT Network 2000 filmWhatever Happened to Micheal Ray?, narrated byChris Rock.[62][63] His memoir,Banned: How I Squandered an All-Star NBA Career Before Finding My Redemption, was published in 2024.[5]
Richardson died in Lawton on November 11, 2025, at the age of 70, following a diagnosis ofprostate cancer.[4]
Richardson could probably clear up the whole thin by simply looking at his birth certificate. 'I haven't seen my birth certificate since I don't know when,' he said. 'But all my stuff says Michael on it.' The 'stuff' includes his Oklahoma driver's licence, his business cards and the bio on the London Lightning site.
· Basketball Reference
