Micheal Ray Richardson

**Micheal Ray Richardson** (April 11, 1955 – November 11, 2025) was an American professional basketball player and head coach.

## Career

Richardson played college basketball for the Montana Grizzlies. Richardson played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1978 to 1986 with the New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors and New Jersey Nets. He was a four-time NBA All-Star.

In February 1986, Richardson was banned for life by NBA commissioner David Stern after testing positive for cocaine for a third time in three seasons. He was the first active NBA player to be banned by the league. He was reinstated by the NBA in 1988, but decided to continue his career in Europe and never played in the NBA again.

Richardson later became a head coach in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada).

## Death

Richardson died in Lawton, Oklahoma on November 11, 2025 from prostate cancer at the age of 70.

## Other websites

- FIBA EuroLeague profile
- Italian League profile

## Infobox (basketball biography)

- **name**: Micheal Ray Richardson
- **image**: Micheal Ray Richardson.jpg
- **caption**: Richardson with Virtus Bologna, 1988
- **birth place**: Lubbock, Texas, U.S.
- **death place**: Lawton, Oklahoma, U.S.
- **height ft**: 6
- **height in**: 5
- **weight lb**: 189
- **high school**: Manual High School (Denver), Manual (Denver, Colorado)
- **college**: Montana Grizzlies basketball, Montana (1974–1978)
- **draft year**: 1978
- **draft round**: 1
- **draft pick**: 4
- **draft team**: New York Knicks
- **career start**: 1978
- **career end**: 2002
- **career position**: Point guard / shooting guard
- **career number**: 20
- **coach start**: 2004
- **coach end**: 2014
- **years1**: –
- **team1**: New York Knicks
- **team2**: Golden State Warriors
- **years4**: –
- **team4**: New Jersey Nets
- **years5**: 1986–1987
- **team5**: Long Island Knights
- **years6**: 1987–1988
- **team6**: Albany Patroons
- **years7**: 1988–1991
- **team7**: Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna, Virtus Bologna
- **years8**: 1991–1992
- **team8**: KK Split, Split
- **years9**: 1992–1994
- **team9**: Libertas Livorno, Livorno
- **years10**: 1994–1997
- **team10**: Olympique Antibes
- **years11**: 1997–1998
- **team11**: Cholet Basket
- **years12**: 1998–1999
- **team12**: Fulgor Libertas Forli, Montana Forlì
- **years13**: 1999–2000
- **team13**: Livorno
- **years14**: 2001
- **team14**: Olympique Antibes
- **years15**: 2002
- **team15**: AC Golfe-Juan-Vallauris
- **cyears1**: 2004–2007
- **cteam1**: Albany Patroons
- **cyears2**: 2007–2011
- **cteam2**: Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry, Oklahoma / Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry
- **cyears3**: 2011–2014
- **cteam3**: London Lightning
- **highlights**: **As player:**
* 4× NBA All-Star (–, )
* 2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (, )
* NBA Comeback Player of the Year (1985)
* 3× List of National Basketball Association annual steals leaders, NBA steals leader (, , )
* List of National Basketball Association annual assists leaders, NBA assists leader (1980)
* French Federation Basketball Cup, French Federation Cup winner (1998)
* FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup champion (1989–90 FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup, 1990)
* List of FIBA Saporta Cup Finals top scorers, FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup Finals top scorer (1990)
* LNB Pro A champion (1995)
* 2× Italian Basketball Cup, Italian Cup winner (1989, 1990)
* List of Lega Basket Serie A season steals leaders, LBA steals leader (1989)
* 3× Lega Basket All Star Game, LBA All-Star Game (1988–1990)
* 2× Lega Basket All-Star Game, LBA All-Star Game MVP (1988, 1993)
* 2× ULEB All-Star Game (1993, 1994)
* Croatian Basketball Cup, Croatian Cup winner (1992)
* CBA champion (1988)
* 3× First-team All-Big Sky Conference, Big Sky (1976–1978)
**As coach:**
* 2× CBA champion (2008, 2009)
* 2× NBL Canada champion (2012, 2013)
* 2× NBL Canada Coach of the Year Award, NBL Canada Coach of the Year (2012, 2013)
* PBL Coach of the Year (2010)
- **stats league**: NBA
- **stat1label**: Point (basketball), Points
- **stat1value**: 8,253 (14.8 ppg)
- **stat2label**: Rebound (basketball), Rebounds
- **stat2value**: 3,056 (5.5 rpg)
- **stat3label**: Assist (basketball), Assists
- **stat3value**: 3,899 (7.0 apg)