Richard Jefferson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Richard Jefferson

Jefferson with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017
Personal information
Born	(1980-06-21) June 21, 1980 (age 45) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
High school	Moon Valley (Phoenix, Arizona)
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	233 lb (106 kg)
Career information
College	Arizona (1998–2001)
NBA Draft	2001 / Round: 1 / Pick: 13th overall
Selected by the Houston Rockets
Pro career	2001–2018
Career history
2001–2008	New Jersey Nets
2008–2009	Milwaukee Bucks
2009–2012	San Antonio Spurs
2012–2013	Golden State Warriors
2013–2014	Utah Jazz
2014–2015	Dallas Mavericks
2015–2017	Cleveland Cavaliers
2017–2018	Denver Nuggets
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2016) NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2002) McDonald's All-American (1998) Fourth-team Parade All-American (1998)
Career NBA statistics
Points	14,904 (12.6 ppg)
Rebounds	4,720 (4.0 rpg)
Assists	2,412 (2.0 apg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing the  United States Olympic Games Bronze 2004 Athens Team FIBA Americas Championship Gold 2003 San Juan

Richard Allen Jefferson Jr. (born June 21, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player. He played as a small forward for eight different teams during his 17 years in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Jefferson played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats. He was chosen as the 13th pick in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets. After his first season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Jefferson played seven seasons for the Nets, reaching the NBA Finals twice. He also played for the Milwaukee Bucks, San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Denver Nuggets.

He won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016. He also earned a bronze medal with the U.S. national team at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Richard Jefferson retired from the NBA in 2018. Since 2019, he has worked as a basketball analyst for ESPN.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Richard Jefferson was born in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in Phoenix. His mother and stepfather were Christian missionaries, so his family moved often. He went to Moon Valley High School in West Phoenix. There, he was a key player on the varsity basketball team. They won the 4A State Championship in 1998.

College Basketball Career

Jefferson played college basketball at the University of Arizona. He played under famous coach Lute Olson from 1998 to 2001. In 84 games, he averaged 11.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. His college career ended when his Arizona team reached the 2001 national championship game. They lost to Duke. Jefferson was chosen for the all-Midwest Regional and all-Final Four teams. He was honored in the Pac-12 Basketball Hall of Honor in 2012.

Professional Basketball Journey

New Jersey Nets (2001–2008)

Jefferson played seven seasons with the New Jersey Nets. He was a very important player when the Nets won the Eastern Conference Championship in 2002 and 2003. He played in the NBA Finals with the Nets in his first two seasons. Jefferson was also part of the USA Men's Olympic basketball team in the 2004 Summer Olympics. In 2003, he competed in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

He started his career as a backup small forward. He quickly showed great defensive skills. Because of his talent, the Nets made him a starter. Jefferson became a strong player, good at shooting from mid-range and long-range. In 2004, he signed a big contract extension with the Nets.

Jefferson missed most of the 2004–05 season because of a wrist injury. He missed 49 games but came back for the playoffs. Before his injury, he was having his best season, averaging 22.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. He continued to play well in the 2005–06 season. In 2007, he had ankle surgery but returned to help the Nets get back into playoff contention.

In August 2007, Jefferson donated $3.5 million to the University of Arizona. A basketball and volleyball practice facility was later named in his honor. He started the 2007–08 season playing some of his best basketball. He averaged 26.9 points in the first seven games. In December 2007, he became the Nets' second all-time leading scorer.

Milwaukee Bucks (2008–2009)

On June 26, 2008, Jefferson was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He was not happy about the trade at first. However, he later became excited to play with Michael Redd.

San Antonio Spurs (2009–2011)

Jefferson with the San Antonio Spurs in 2011

On June 23, 2009, Richard Jefferson was traded to the San Antonio Spurs. He chose to leave his contract with San Antonio in 2010. But he re-signed with the Spurs on July 23, 2010.

Golden State Warriors (2012–2013)

On March 15, 2012, Jefferson was traded to the Golden State Warriors.

Utah Jazz (2013–2014)

On July 5, 2013, Jefferson was traded to the Utah Jazz as part of a three-team deal.

Dallas Mavericks (2014–2015)

On July 21, 2014, Jefferson signed with the Dallas Mavericks. He was the last Mavericks player to wear jersey number 24. This number was later retired to honor Kobe Bryant.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2015–2017)

On August 5, 2015, Jefferson signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He played his first game for the team on October 27. The Cavaliers finished the season with a great record. They reached the 2016 NBA Finals. This was Jefferson's third time in the Finals. He played in every game of the series. He even started two games when Kevin Love was injured.

In Game 3, Jefferson played well, scoring nine points and grabbing eight rebounds. The Cavaliers won that game. Even though they were down 3-1 in the series, the Cavaliers made a historic comeback. They won the series in seven games. This gave Jefferson his first and only NBA championship.

After thinking about retiring, Jefferson re-signed with the Cavaliers in July 2016. The Cavaliers returned to the NBA Finals in 2017. However, they lost to the Warriors in five games. On October 14, 2017, Jefferson was traded to the Atlanta Hawks. He was immediately released by the Hawks.

Denver Nuggets (2017–2018)

On October 19, 2017, Jefferson signed a one-year contract with the Denver Nuggets. On October 13, 2018, Richard Jefferson announced he was retiring from professional basketball.

Life After Playing: Broadcasting Career

Richard Jefferson Broadcasting for YES Network from the Barclays Center in 2004

On October 16, 2018, Jefferson joined the YES Network. He worked as an analyst for Nets games. He also appeared on FS1 and the Pac-12 Network. In 2019, Jefferson joined ESPN as an NBA analyst.

During the 2017 season, Jefferson started a podcast called Road Trippin'. He co-hosted it with Allie Clifton and his friend Channing Frye. Many early episodes featured his Cavaliers teammates. They recorded the shows while traveling for games.

Personal Life

Richard Jefferson was engaged to dancer Kesha Ni'cole Nichols twice. However, he called off the wedding both times.

On July 11, 2022, the NBA announced that Jefferson would be a referee. He officiated the second quarter of a game between the Knicks and the Blazers at the 2022 NBA Summer League.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

In Spanish: Richard Jefferson para niños