Michael Ray Richardson, a four-time NBA All-Star guard for the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets, has died. He was 70.
Richardson’s death was announced by the Knicks on Tuesday. No cause of death was provided.
“We are saddened to hear about the passing of former Knick Michael Ray Richardson,” the Knicks wrote in a post on X. “One of the fiercest defensive players of his era, the four-time NBA All-Star made an incredible impact on the Knicks during his four seasons with the franchise. Our deepest condolences go to his family, friends and teammates.”
The Nets also issued a statement remembering the late Richardson.
“We’re saddened to hear of the passing of former Nets All-Star, Michael Ray Richardson,” the team wrote in a post to X. “The Nets send their deepest condolences to the Richardson family today.
Richardson, an eight-year NBA veteran, was a star at the University of Montana before being selected by the Knicks with the fourth overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft.
He played four-plus seasons with the Knicks, where he led the NBA in both assists (10.1 per game) and steals (3.2) during his second season in the league. He earned three consecutive All-Star selections and consecutive First Team All-Defensive honors in four seasons with the Knicks.
Days before the 1982-83 NBA season began, Richardson was traded from New York to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Hall of Famer Bernard King. He played 33 games for the Warriors before being traded a few months in February 1983 to New Jersey, where he played the remainder of his career. He earned his fourth and final NBA All-Star selection with the Nets during the 1984-85 season, when he led the league in steals (3.0 per game) for the third time in his career.
However, Richardson’s career came to an abrupt end after he was banned from the NBA in 1986 following his third violation of the league’s drug policy.
For his eight-year NBA career, Richardson averaged 14.8 points, seven assists, 5.5 rebounds and 2.6 steals in 33.4 minutes across 556 games played for the Knicks, Warriors and Nets.
“My darkest day was when the guy [from the NBA] met me at the airport and told me I was banned from the NBA,” Richardson told Andscape in June. “I will never forget that day. They waited for me in Newark. As soon as I got off the plane, I knew what was going on. After that, I went home and went on a few days binge. And then after that, I came to. I got myself into it. I have to get myself out.”
He continued his professional basketball career in the Continental Basketball Association, as well as pro leagues in Italy and France, before officially retiring in 2002.
Richardson later coached in the CBA for the Albany Patroons and Oklahoma/Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry, according to ESPN. He led the Cavalry to three consecutive championships, including two in the CBA in 2008 and 2009 and one in the Premier Basketball League in 2010. He also coached NBL Canada’s London Lightning from 2011-14.
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