Former Four-Time NBA All-Star Micheal Ray Richardson Dies at 70
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Former NBA guard Micheal Ray Richardson, a four-time All-Star whose career was cut short by a lifetime ban for drug violations, died Tuesday in Lawton, Oklahoma, his attorney and longtime friend John Zelbst confirmed. Richardson was 70 and had been diagnosed with prostate cancer shortly before his death.
“The basketball world and anyone Micheal came in contact with lost a great sportsman,” Zelbst told Marc J. Spears of Andscape and ESPN. “He lived life to the fullest and overcame incredible odds.”
College Stardom and Early NBA Success
Nicknamed “Sugar,” Richardson starred at the University of Montana and was selected fourth overall by the New York Knicks in the 1978 NBA Draft. Over eight NBA seasons with the Knicks, Golden State Warriors, and New Jersey Nets, he earned four All-Star selections and led the league in steals three times.
In 556 regular-season games (358 starts), Richardson averaged 14.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 2.6 steals while shooting 45.7 percent from the field. His best year came with the Nets in 1984-85, when he posted 20.1 points, 8.2 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.0 steals per game, earning him NBA Comeback Player of the Year honors.
Lifetime Ban and International Career
Commissioner David Stern banned Richardson for life in 1986 after his third violation of the NBA’s drug policy, making him the first active player removed under the rule. Richardson later said the day he was banned was his “darkest day.”
Following a brief stint in the Continental Basketball Association, he continued his playing career in Europe, most notably in Italy and France. He captured the French LNB Pro A title with Olympique Antibes in 1995 and retired from professional play in 2002 after a season with AC Golfe-Juan-Vallauris.
Coaching Achievements
Richardson moved into coaching in the CBA, guiding the Albany Patroons before leading the Oklahoma/Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry to consecutive championships in the CBA in 2008 and 2009 and in the Premier Basketball League in 2010.
No information on funeral arrangements was immediately available.
Source: Basketball Insiders
