Jason Richardson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jason Richardson

Richardson with the Phoenix Suns in 2009
Personal information
Born	(1981-01-20) January 20, 1981 (age 44) Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
High school	Arthur Hill (Saginaw, Michigan)
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
College	Michigan State (1999–2001)
NBA Draft	2001 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall
Selected by the Golden State Warriors
Pro career	2001–2015
Career history
2001–2007	Golden State Warriors
2007–2008	Charlotte Bobcats
2008–2010	Phoenix Suns
2010–2012	Orlando Magic
2012–2015	Philadelphia 76ers
Career highlights and awards
2× NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (2002, 2003) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2002) NCAA champion (2000) Consensus second-team All-American (2001) First-team All-Big Ten (2001) Second-team Parade All-American (1999) McDonald's All-American (1999) Mr. Basketball of Michigan (1999)
Career statistics
Points	14,644 (17.1 ppg)
Rebounds	4,245 (5.0 rpg)
Assists	2,284 (2.7 apg)

Jason Anthoney Richardson (born January 20, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player. He played for 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Golden State Warriors chose Richardson as the fifth pick in the 2001 NBA draft. Before that, he played college basketball for Michigan State University. He also played for the Charlotte Bobcats, Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic, and Philadelphia 76ers.

Many people remember Richardson for his amazing dunks and great shooting. Early in his career, he won the NBA Dunk Contest two years in a row (2002 and 2003). He was only the second player, after Michael Jordan, to do this. Later, he became a top three-point shooter. From 2007-08 to 2011-12, he made 820 three-pointers, leading the league. Since 2021, Richardson has played for Tri-State in the BIG3 league.

Early Life and College Basketball

Jason Richardson was born in Saginaw, Michigan. He finished high school at Arthur Hill High School in 1999. In his senior year, he led his team to the Class A championship game. He was also named Mr. Basketball of Michigan and a McDonald's High School All-American. Richardson decided to play college basketball for Michigan State, coached by Tom Izzo.

Michigan State Spartans (1999–2001)

In his first year at Michigan State (1999–2000), Richardson averaged 5.1 points per game. He played in 37 games and started three of them. The Spartans, led by Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson, won the NCAA Championship. Richardson was an important reserve player on that team.

In his second year (2000–01), Richardson played a bigger role. He led the Spartans in scoring with 14.7 points per game. He played alongside future NBA players Zach Randolph and Charlie Bell. The Spartans reached the Final Four but lost to Arizona. That year, he was named to the Big Ten First Team.

Professional NBA Career

Golden State Warriors (2001–2007)

The Golden State Warriors picked Jason Richardson as the 5th overall player in the draft. This was right after he finished college at Michigan State.

Richardson played in the Rookie Challenge game in 2002 and 2003. His teams won both times. He was even named the Rookie Challenge MVP in his first year. In his second year, he had a funny moment. He bounced the ball off Carlos Boozer's head and then made a three-pointer just before time ran out!

While with the Warriors, Richardson became very popular. Fans loved his scoring, amazing dunks, and how much he cared for the team. He was the team captain for a long time. In 2005, after the team missed the playoffs for the 12th year in a row, Richardson helped write an apology letter to the fans. This letter was printed in several newspapers in the Bay Area.

The next year, Richardson helped the Warriors reach the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. The Warriors surprised everyone by beating the top-ranked Dallas Mavericks in the first round. However, they lost to the Utah Jazz in the second round.

Even after he left, Richardson remained a favorite among Warriors fans. He was known for his exciting style of play and his ability to shoot three-pointers. He set a Warriors record by making 8 three-pointers in a game without missing. This happened in a home game against the Phoenix Suns. Richardson is also known as one of the best dunkers of the 2000s. He won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 2002 and 2003. He also competed in 2004 but lost to Fred Jones.

Charlotte Bobcats (2007–2008)

On June 28, 2007, Richardson was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats. He went there with Jermareo Davidson in exchange for Brandan Wright.

Richardson started to get noticed with the Bobcats. He scored 34 points in a road game against the Boston Celtics, leading his team to a win. This was only the Celtics' fourth loss that season. It was also the Bobcats' second road win, ending an 11-game losing streak away from home. Richardson also helped the Bobcats win five games in a row, which was a team record. This streak included a home win against his old team, the Golden State Warriors. In that game, Richardson scored 42 points. The 2007–08 season was a rebuilding year for Richardson and the Bobcats. He brought his average points per game up to 21.8. He led the Bobcats in scoring and led the entire league in three-point shots made.

Phoenix Suns (2008–2010)

On December 10, 2008, Richardson was traded again. He went to the Phoenix Suns with Jared Dudley and a future draft pick. In return, the Suns sent Boris Diaw, Raja Bell, and Sean Singletary to Charlotte. The Suns wanted Richardson to help score points and take pressure off their star player, Steve Nash.

In his first game as a Sun, Richardson scored 21 points. He even had an amazing alley-oop dunk from Leandro Barbosa that excited the crowd. His first year in Phoenix saw the team miss the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

However, in his second year with the team, he helped them get back to the playoffs. He played well on both offense and defense. In the first round of the 2010 NBA Playoffs, Richardson helped the Suns beat the Portland Trail Blazers. He scored a career-high 42 points in one playoff game. In the next round, the Suns swept the San Antonio Spurs, winning every game. They then lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.

Orlando Magic (2010–2012)

Richardson with the Orlando Magic in 2010

On December 18, 2010, Richardson was traded to the Orlando Magic. He joined Hedo Türkoğlu and Earl Clark. In return, the Magic sent Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, and Mickaël Piétrus to Phoenix. In December 2011, Richardson signed a new four-year contract to stay with the Magic. The Magic made the playoffs in Richardson's first year with the team. They lost in the first round to the Atlanta Hawks.

Philadelphia 76ers (2012–2015)

On August 10, 2012, Richardson was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. This was part of a big four-team trade that sent Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers. Richardson only played 33 games in the 2012–13 season. He had surgery on his left knee in January 2013 and missed the rest of that season. He also missed the entire 2013–14 season because of the injury.

On February 18, 2015, Richardson fully practiced with the team for the first time in over two years. He had not played in a game for 762 days. Two days later, he returned to play for the 76ers against the Indiana Pacers. In 18 minutes, he scored 7 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and had 2 assists. On March 4, 2015, he scored a season-high 29 points in a close overtime loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Richardson's very last NBA game was on April 11, 2015. It was a loss to the Chicago Bulls. In that game, he scored 19 points.

Retirement from Basketball

On August 18, 2015, Richardson signed with the Atlanta Hawks. However, less than a month later, he felt pain in his right knee. An MRI scan showed he had bone spurs. On September 23, 2015, he announced he was retiring from the NBA. He said he was worried that if he kept playing, he might have trouble walking for the rest of his life.

Awards and Accomplishments

NBA Honors

• NBA Slam Dunk Champion: 2002, 2003
• Rookie Challenge MVP: 2002
• NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2002
• NBA leader in 3-point field goals made: 2007–08 (243 threes made)

College Honors

• NCAA champion: 2000
• Second Team All-American: 2001
• All-Big Ten First Team: 2001

High School Honors

• McDonald's All-American: 1999
• Mr. Basketball of Michigan: 1999
• Parade All-American Second Team: 1999

NBA Career Statistics

Regular Season Games

Playoff Games

See also

In Spanish: Jason Richardson para niños