[NBA TV] Must watch! - Whatever Happened to Micheal Ray?

1130pm central
Program Title:


Whatever Happened to Micheal Ray?

Genre:


Basketball

Description:


A profile of Micheal Ray Richardson, the first player banned from the NBA for life. Chris Rock is the narrator.

Runtime:


60 minutes

Language:


English

Channel:


435 - NBA TV

 

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http://www.nba.com/nuggets/chat/michealray030731.html

Whatever Happened to Micheal Ray?
... He's Finally Come Back Home
By Jonathan Goldstein
Nuggets.com

Micheal Ray Richardson’s life has come full circle. From growing up in a single-parent home in Denver to being the toast of New York to banishment, exile and shame and back again. The four-time All-Star, two-time All-Defensive team member and the first player ever banned for life by the NBA has returned to Denver and joined the Nuggets.

A shining star drafted two spots in front of Larry Bird in 1978, Micheal Ray was billed as “the next Walt Frazier” in New York and looked every bit the part his first couple years in the league. During the 1979-80 season he became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in both assists (10.1 apg) and steals (3.23 spg), setting New York Knicks franchise records in both categories.

Before long the shy kid from Colorado got caught up in all of the trappings of stardom. Recreational drug use that began as a way of overcoming introversion and a severe stuttering problem would develop into full-blown addiction. The Knicks would ship him cross-country to Golden State who that same season sent him right back to New Jersey.

By 1986 things had gotten so bad that NBA commissioner David Stern, in what he has referred to as "the hardest thing I've ever had to do as commissioner," made Micheal Ray the first player in NBA history to be banned for life. Following short stints in both the CBA and USBL, Richardson fled for Europe and hasn’t been back since, until now that is. While playing 14 seasons in Italy, France and Croatia, Micheal Ray got clean, got married and had two kids, all the while living in France.

In the year 2000 TNT broadcast a documentary entitled What Ever Happened to Micheal Ray? that chronicled the rise, fall, and disappearance of the forgotten star.

Now clean and sober for 17 years, Micheal Ray is back in the NBA and back where he started. He has joined the Nuggets as an ambassador to the community, determined to help current Nuggets and Denver-area children from following the same errant path that robbed him of his stardom. The prodigal son is returning to the neighborhoods and community centers of his youth to tell the tale of the trappings and travails that sidetracked such promise.

Nuggets.com’s Jonathan Goldstein sat down with Micheal Ray to talk about his days in the NBA, the journey back home and his plans for the future.


You are going to be working with the Nuggets in what capacity?
Micheal Ray:”I’m going to be doing some community work also some working with some young players and probably some scouting overseas.”

How did that come about? Did Kiki approach you?
Micheal Ray: “Well, I approached Kiki and I was telling him maybe in a year or two I would be interested in moving back if there was any job openings. He thought that it would be a great idea. With my experience overseas, and I am originally from Colorado, so he thought it would be a perfect idea. He said if you decide to move back then give me a call.”

Is it good to be home?
Micheal Ray: “Well there’s no place like home. I mean, I haven’t been here since 1988, but my mom is getting older so I think it’s time for me to be a little bit closer to her.”

Obviously your past has been well documented. How do your experiences help you teach the kids here and stop them from following that same path?
Micheal Ray: “Well I think with my experience - on the floor and off the floor - has a lot of influence on young people. And I think that I can kind of help steer them the right way.”

How did you get your life straightened out?
Micheal Ray: “Well I think what kind of really helped me was when I left the country and went overseas. And then I had a lot of idle time where I could really think about it and I finally got myself to where I am now.”

Do you still play any ball?
Micheal Ray: “Well I haven’t played since 2002. I mean I just recently retired. I played about 15 years overseas. I had a very successful career over there.”

What are your favorite memories of growing up in Denver and playing ball at Manual High School?
Micheal Ray: “Some of my favorite memories are when I used to come down and watch the old Denver Rockets when they had Ralph Simpson and Warren Jabali, Dan Issel. I had a lot of great memories there.”

So do you wish you had had the opportunity to play in Denver for the Nuggets?
Micheal Ray: “Well, I wish I would have had the opportunity but, unfortunately, at the time that I came out they didn’t have a real good draft pick.”

So what have you been doing the last couple years?
Micheal Ray: “Well the last few years I’ve been doing some work for the NBA office overseas. I was doing some consulting work over there for the last couple years. So once I got this opportunity to move back and start working, I thought it was a great opportunity.”

So have you had an opportunity to talk to any of the guys here one-on-one yet?
Micheal Ray: “Well, not really because I’m just now getting into it, but I’m sure as it gets further toward the season, I’ll get with some guys and see exactly where they’re trying to go in their life.”

So you are going to be around all season?
Micheal Ray: “Yeah, I’m going to be around.”

With the TNT movie, what was your reaction when you saw it?
Micheal Ray: “I was a part of it. So for me, I thought it was a great documentary. As a matter of fact, it was voted the sports documentary of the year. It beat out Muhammad Ali and Bill Russell. So I thought it was a great, great piece. Plus, I don’t have nothing to be ashamed of. I took 100-percent responsibility for my actions. But I guess God has a plan for everybody and I guess that was my plan.”

What are your favorite memories of your playing days in the NBA?
Micheal Ray: “Well I was known for having triple-doubles. My probably best memory was when I was traded from the Knicks to the Nets and we played them on Christmas Day. Bernard King had like 50 points at halftime, and I ended up having like 35 (points), 15 (rebounds) and 18 (assists) and we won on Christmas Day. That was one of my greatest memories.”

You played in the All-Star game too right?
Micheal Ray: “I played in four All-Star games.”

What are your memories about those?
Micheal Ray: “Those were some great All-Star games. I played with Micheal Jordan, Julius Erving, Larry Bird, Bernard King, Moses Malone, Robert Parish, Isiah Thomas, Sidney Moncrief. So I was with a great, great basketball team.”

Thanks for your time and good luck.
Micheal Ray: "Thank you."