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Michael Ray Richardson's personal life had been a mixture of triumph and turbulence, shaped largely by his battles with addiction and the highs and lows of a complex basketball career.
According to ABC News, he had been married to his wife, Kimberly, at the time of his death, and the two had made their home together in Lawton, Oklahoma.
A four-time NBA All-Star, Michael Ray Richardson died in Lawton on Tuesday at the age of 70, only a short time after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, his longtime attorney and friend John Zelbst told Andscape.
“The basketball world and anyone Michael came in contact with lost a great sportsman, he lived life to the fullest. He overcame the most incredible odds to accomplish what he did in life. He serves as an example on how to redeem yourself and make something of yourself. I think he is the greatest NBA player that has never been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Incredible player — player, person and family man,” shared John Zelbst,
Before entering the NBA, Michael Ray Richardson had been a standout at the University of Montana, earning All-Big Sky honors three times. He was selected fourth overall in the 1978 draft, two spots ahead of Larry Bird. Over eight seasons, he played for the New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, and New Jersey Nets, making four All-Star appearances and leading the league in steals three times.
Michael Ray Richardson : The Rise, the fall, and the redemption of ‘Sugar’
As ESPN reported, Michael Ray Richardson’s playing career came to a sudden halt in 1986 when the NBA banned him for a third violation of its drug policy. Once celebrated for his defensive instincts, twice named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team, Richardson struggled for years with cocaine addiction. After the ban, he turned to the Continental Basketball Association, then found new life in Europe, where he starred in Italy and France. His long run finally ended in 2002 with AC Golfe-Juan-Vallauris, a club on the French Riviera.
He never hid from the pain of that moment.
“My darkest day was when the guy [from the NBA] met me at the airport and told me I was banned from the NBA,” Richardson told Andscape earlier this year.
He added:
“I will never forget that day. They waited for me in Newark. As soon as I got off the plane, I knew what was going on. After that, I went home and went on a few days binge. And then after that, I came to. I got myself into it. I have to get myself out,” shared Richardson at the time of the interview.
Known to fans as “Sugar,” Richardson’s style was effortless, his skill set complete.
“He had it all as a player, with no weaknesses in his game,” said Isiah Thomas, the Detroit Pistons legend and Hall of Famer, in a June 2025 interview with Andscape.
“He is the player who gave me the most problems playing against him. He was taller, just as fast and could shoot from 3 and midrange. His post-up game was elite. Offensively, he had it all,” he added.
Former guard Quinn Buckner agreed:
“Back when he played in the NBA, the best guards were Magic [Johnson] and then Sugar.”
Michael Ray Richardson on survival, addiction, and the lessons basketball taught him:
In August 2007, ESPN conducted an interview with Michael Ray Richardson, a man many saw as basketball’s proof that redemption was real. He’d been through the chaos. The addiction. The ban. And somehow, he had come out whole.
That interview happened not long after the death of Eddie Griffin, another player whose life unraveled under the weight of talent, money, and addiction. The ESPN reporter reached out to Michael Ray Richardson, hoping he could offer perspective , one survivor reflecting on the grim situation faced by baskteball players.
“When I heard about Eddie Griffin,” the interviewer said, “I couldn't help but think that you must know as well as anyone what it feels like to be an NBA player, out of control with addiction, and in need of help.”
Michael Ray Richardson didn’t dodge the question. He shared his thoughts, as if retracing old memories.
“I don't know exactly what he faced or what kinds of things he was going through. But I do know that if you put yourself in that predicament, a lot of times bad things are going to happen to you. We all make choices. Whatever choice you make, you have to deal with it. I'm a firm believer that Jesus had something in store for me, and that's why I'm still here. But the stuff I was doing — I could have been in his situation, ” explained Richardson.
They talked about the game, and the next generation. Could basketball itself do more to protect its players?
Michael Ray Richardson's answer was simple.
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“We're all human beings. We all make mistakes. But things happen for a reason. And if you make the choices to put yourself in that situation, nine times out of ten something bad will happen, especially if you're under the influence. You got to be very careful about what's going and your surroundings if you're going to be under the influence.”
Do you have any vivid memories of Richardson's playing days? Sound off in the comments section.
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