The basketball world mourns the loss of Micheal Ray Richardson, a dynamic four-time NBA All-Star known for his fierce defensive prowess and sensational playmaking ability. Richardson, whose electrifying career spanned the NBA and European leagues, passed away on November 11, 2025, at the age of 70, following a battle with prostate cancer.
Drafted fourth overall by the New York Knicks in 1978, the 6’5″ guard quickly made a name for himself, becoming only the third player in NBA history to lead the league in both assists and steals in his second season (1979-80). He later earned the NBA Comeback Player of the Year award in 1985 while with the then-New Jersey Nets.
Though his career was cut short in the NBA due to substance abuse, Richardson found redemption and continued his stellar playing career in Europe for many years, later becoming a successful coach.
Reflecting on a Controversial All-Star Moment
Beyond his statistics, Richardson held a unique place as an eye-witness to one of the NBA’s most enduring rookie rumors: the supposed “freezeout” of Michael Jordan during the 1985 All-Star Game, allegedly orchestrated by Isiah Thomas.
Jordan, then a rookie finished with just seven points on 2-of-9 shooting, fueling speculation that this moment shaped his relentless competitive fire for years to come.
Richardson, who was selected as an All-Star that year and was on the court with both Thomas and Jordan and offered his perspective on the controversy with me this spring in my mini-documentary, Scoop B Originals Presents: “THE FREEZEOUT.”
When asked directly if Isiah Thomas conspired to hold the ball from Michael Jordan, Richardson was adamant:
“No,” Richardson said in The Freezeout documentary,
“You know what? I don’t know where that rumor came from, but I didn’t see anything like that happen to my knowledge.”
He recalled a respectful atmosphere between the two future legends during the event.
“No. I mean, from what I can remember, I thought that they were pretty cordial and cool, you know what I mean? It wasn’t like that there was a problem or they had a grudge or something. Now for as far as holding the ball from Michael Jordan, I never saw it.”
Richardson described Jordan, then just a 21-year-old rookie, finding his footing among the league’s elite:
“He was a rookie. He was out there getting his feet wet. He came in just like any other rookie, like a deer caught in the headlights.”
Like many, Richardson stated that he only heard about the so-called conspiracy years after the fact.
“When I first heard about it, it was years later. And like I said, it didn’t see it.”
While he maintained he saw no malice, he speculated on the deeper dynamics between two highly competitive stars:
“No. But I could understand why Isiah would want to freeze out Michael. I just don’t understand why he would.”
During his NBA career, Micheal Ray Richardson was a four-time All-Star and finished with career averages of 14.8 points, 7.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.6 steals per game.
While his contributions to basketball were immense, from leading the league in multiple statistical categories, his providing a direct, first-hand account of one of the NBA’s most discussed urban legends was remarkable to learn toward the end of his life.
Most importantly,, his “Sugar” Ray charisma and his impactful career will be long remembered by fans and former teammates alike.
