Pooh Richardson facts for kids

Jerome "Pooh" Richardson Jr., born on May 14, 1966, is a retired American basketball player. He played for 10 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was the very first player chosen by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1989 NBA draft. Pooh also played for the Indiana Pacers and the Los Angeles Clippers during his NBA career, which lasted from 1989 to 1999.

Before joining the NBA, Richardson played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins from 1985 to 1989. He was chosen as one of the best players in his college conference three times. He also set new records at his school for how many assists he made and how good he was at shooting three-pointers.

His special nickname, "Pooh," came from his grandmother. She thought he looked a lot like the famous cartoon character, Winnie the Pooh.

Early Life and Basketball Beginnings

Pooh Richardson grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He started playing basketball in a local league called the Sonny Hill League. When he was in high school, he played at Ben Franklin High School. He was so good that he was named a McDonald's All-American, which is a big honor for high school basketball players.

In 1984, Pooh led his high school team to win the Public League championship. Many people in Philadelphia thought he was a basketball legend even then.

College Basketball Star

Pooh Richardson was recruited to play at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) by coach Walt Hazzard. He was a starting player for the Bruins for all four years, from 1985 to 1989.

In his first year, 1985-86, he was named the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. He was also recognized as his team's most valuable freshman and best defensive player. The next year, he was named to the first-team All-Pac-10.

In his third year, he was named the team's most valuable player (MVP). Pooh was the team's MVP again in his final year, 1988-89. He was also on the first-team All-Pac-10 for the third year in a row. For the second time in his college career, he was named the Bruins' outstanding defensive player.

Pooh finished his college career with impressive records at UCLA. He had the most assists in a career (833) and the most assists in a single season (236). He also had the highest career three-point field goal percentage (46.4%).

Playing in the NBA

After his amazing college career, Pooh Richardson was chosen by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1989 NBA draft. He was the tenth player picked overall. At 6 feet 1 inch tall, he played as a point guard. He was the very first player ever drafted by the Timberwolves, and he played with them for their first three seasons.

In 1992, Pooh was traded to the Indiana Pacers along with another player, Sam Mitchell. A few years later, in 1994, the Pacers traded him to the Los Angeles Clippers. He played for the Clippers for several seasons.

After he finished playing in the NBA, Pooh Richardson played basketball for one year in Milan, Italy. He went there because Joe Bryant and his son, Kobe Bryant, who were part-owners of the team, asked him to play.

Life After Playing: Coaching

After his playing career, Pooh Richardson became an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) coach. He coached young players in Coachella Valley, California, where he had bought a home. In 2017, he became an assistant coach at the College of the Desert.

See also

In Spanish: Pooh Richardson para niños