Micheal Ray Richardson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Micheal Ray Richardson

Richardson with Virtus 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.
High school	Manual (Denver, Colorado)
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	189 lb (86 kg)
Career information
College	Montana (1974–1978)
NBA Draft	1978 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall
Selected by the New York Knicks
Pro career	1978–2002
Coaching career	2004–2014
Career history
As player:
1978–1982	New York Knicks
1982–1983	Golden State Warriors
1983–1986	New Jersey Nets
1986–1987	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
As coach:
2004–2007	Albany Patroons
2007–2011	Oklahoma / Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry
2011–2014	London Lightning
Career highlights and awards
As player: 4× NBA All-Star (1980–1982, 1985) 2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1980, 1981) NBA Comeback Player of the Year (1985) 3× NBA steals leader (1980, 1983, 1985) NBA assists leader (1980) French Federation Cup winner (1998) FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup champion (1990) FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup Finals top scorer (1990) LNB Pro A champion (1995) 2× Italian Cup winner (1989, 1990) LBA steals leader (1989) 3× LBA All-Star Game (1988–1990) 2× LBA All-Star Game MVP (1988, 1993) 2× ULEB All-Star Game (1993, 1994) Croatian Cup winner (1992) CBA champion (1988) 3× First-team All-Big Sky (1976–1978) As coach: 2× CBA champion (2008, 2009) 2× NBL Canada champion (2012, 2013) 2× NBL Canada Coach of the Year (2012, 2013) PBL Coach of the Year (2010)
Career NBA statistics
Points	8,253 (14.8 ppg)
Rebounds	3,056 (5.5 rpg)
Assists	3,899 (7.0 apg)

Micheal Ray Richardson (born April 11, 1955, and passed away on November 11, 2025) was a talented American basketball player and coach. He played college basketball for the Montana Grizzlies. In 1978, the New York Knicks picked him fourth overall in the 1978 NBA draft.

Richardson played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for eight years. He was a four-time NBA All-Star. He also led the league in steals in three different seasons. Later in his career, Micheal faced some serious personal challenges. Because of these challenges, the NBA decided he could no longer play in the league. Even though he later had a chance to return, he chose to continue his basketball career in Europe, where he played for many years. After his playing days, Richardson became a successful head coach. He coached in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada).

Who Was Micheal Ray Richardson?

Micheal Ray Richardson was a famous basketball player and coach. He was known for his amazing skills on the court. He was especially good at stealing the ball and passing it to his teammates. His career took him from college courts to the NBA and then to Europe.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Micheal Ray Richardson was born in Lubbock, Texas. He grew up in Denver, Colorado, and went to Manual High School. He was a key player on his high school team. In 1972, he helped his team win a state championship. Even though he didn't start every game until his senior year, he was a very important part of the team's success.

College Basketball Journey

Micheal played college basketball at the University of Montana. A famous coach, Jud Heathcote, helped bring him to the team. As a freshman, he helped Montana reach the 1975 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament. They even beat Utah State before a close loss to the powerful UCLA Bruins.

Micheal continued to shine throughout his college years. He was a top scorer and rebounder for Montana. He earned First-team All-Big Sky honors three times. He still holds some impressive records at Montana. These include the single-game scoring record of 40 points. He is also second in career scoring for the Grizzlies.

Micheal Ray Richardson's NBA Career

Micheal Ray Richardson had an exciting career in the NBA. He played for several teams and achieved many great things.

Starting Strong with the New York Knicks

The New York Knicks chose Micheal as the fourth pick in the 1978 NBA draft. People thought he would be a star. In his second year, he made history. He became only the third player ever to lead the NBA in both assists and steals. He set new records for the Knicks in both categories.

During the 1980-81 NBA season, Micheal was chosen for his second All-Star game. He helped the Eastern Conference win that game. The Knicks made the playoffs that year. Micheal played well, but his team lost in the first round. He scored his highest points as a Knick, with 33 points, in 1981.

Short Stays with Golden State and New Jersey

In 1982, Micheal was traded to the Golden State Warriors. He played only 33 games there. Soon after, he was traded again to the New Jersey Nets.

With the Nets, Micheal helped his team achieve a big upset. In the 1984 NBA playoffs, they beat the defending champions, the Philadelphia 76ers. He scored 24 points and had six steals in the final game of that series. In 1985, Micheal was named the NBA Comeback Player of the Year. He averaged 20.1 points and led the league in steals. He played all 82 games that season.

Challenges and a New Path

In 1986, Micheal faced some serious personal challenges. Because of these challenges, the NBA decided he could no longer play in the league. He was the first active NBA player to have this happen. Even though he later had a chance to return to the NBA in 1988, he chose a different path. He decided to continue his basketball career in Europe. He never played in the NBA again after that.

In 556 NBA games, Micheal averaged 14.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 2.6 steals. He was a truly all-around player.

Playing Basketball Beyond the NBA

After his time in the NBA, Micheal Ray Richardson continued to play basketball. He showed his talent in other leagues both in America and overseas.

Playing in Other American Leagues

In 1986–87, Micheal played for the Long Island Knights. This team was part of the United States Basketball League. The next season, he joined the Albany Patroons in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). He helped the Patroons win the CBA championship in 1988.

European Basketball Adventures

In 1988, Micheal moved to Europe to play. He signed with Virtus Bologna, a top team in Italy. With them, he won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1990. He played for several other European teams. These included KK Split in Croatia and Baker Livorno in Italy. He also played for Olympique Antibes and Cholet Basket in France.

Micheal won the LNB Pro A championship with Olympique Antibes in 1995. He continued playing until 2002, even at 47 years old.

Micheal Ray Richardson: A Coach's Journey

After his playing career, Micheal Ray Richardson became a successful basketball coach. He led several teams to championships.

Coaching the Albany Patroons

In 2004, Micheal became the head coach of the Albany Patroons. This was the same team he had played for in the CBA. He led them for three seasons.

Leading the Oklahoma / Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry

Micheal then coached the Oklahoma Cavalry and later the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry. He had great success with this team. He led them to win three championships in a row from 2008 to 2010. These wins were in the Continental Basketball Association and the Premiere Basketball League.

London Lightning Success

In 2011, Micheal was hired as the first head coach for the London Lightning in NBL Canada. He quickly made an impact. He was named the NBL Canada's Coach of the Month twice.

In 2012, he led the Lightning to win the NBL Canada's first-ever championship. He was also named the NBL Canada Coach of the Year. The next year, in 2013, he led the London Lightning to another championship. This made them back-to-back champions. Micheal left the London Lightning after the 2013–14 season.

Life Outside the Court

Micheal lived in Lawton, Oklahoma. He enjoyed helping young players at basketball clinics. He often worked with his longtime friend and former teammate, Otis Birdsong. His son, Amir Richardson, is also a professional athlete. Amir plays football (soccer) for ACF Fiorentina and the Morocco national team.

In 1983, Micheal changed the spelling of his first name. He went from "Michael" to "Micheal." A film about his life, called Whatever Happened to Micheal Ray?, was released in 2000. It was narrated by Chris Rock. Micheal passed away in Lawton on November 11, 2025, at the age of 70.

Awards and Recognition

Micheal Ray Richardson received many honors for his basketball career:

• In 1985, he was inducted into the Montana Grizzly Basketball Hall of Fame.
• The University of Montana inducted him into the Grizzly Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.
• He was named one of the Big Sky Conference's 50 Greatest Male Athletes in 2013.

Coaching Records

NBA Player Statistics

Micheal Ray Richardson's statistics show his impressive performance as an NBA player.

Regular Season Stats

Playoff Stats

See also

In Spanish: Micheal Ray Richardson para niños