Michael Ray Richardson Dies at Age 70, Was 4-Time NBA All-Star with Knicks, Nets

Former New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets star Michael Ray Richardson has died at age 70 following a prostate cancer diagnosis, his attorney John Zelbst told Marc J. Spears of ESPN's Andscape.

"He serves as an example on how to redeem yourself and make something of yourself," Zelbst told Spears. "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."

The Knicks said in their own statement: "We are saddened to hear about the passing of former Knick Michael Ray Richardson. One of the fiercest defensive players of his era, the four-time NBA All-Star made an incredible impact on the Knicks during his four seasons with the franchise."

Richardson was named to three All-Big Sky teams while starring for Montana from 1974 to 1978.

After the Knicks used the No. 4 pick to draft him in 1978, Richardson went on to play eight years in the NBA with the Knicks, Nets and Golden State Warriors.

He was already one of the best defensive players in the league by his second season, during which he led the NBA with 10.1 assists and 3.2 steals per game.

Richardson paced the NBA in steals two more times in 1983 and 1985. He was also named the 1985 NBA Comeback Player of the Year after averaging a career-high 20.1 points per season with the Nets.

He was banned from the NBA ahead of the 1986-87 season following multiple violations of the league's drug policy.

Richardson detailed his struggles with drug addiction in the 2024 memoir Banned: How I Squandered an All-Star NBA Career Before Finding My Redemption, which was co-authored with Jacob Uitti.

Following his exit from the NBA, Richardson played basketball overseas until 2002. He then spent stints coaching in the Continental Basketball Association and NBL Canada, according to Spears.

Richardson lived with his wife, Kimberly, in Lawton, Oklahoma, where he was a regular attendee at Oklahoma City Thunder games, Spears reported. Richardson's son, Amir, plays professional soccer for the Serie A club Fiorentina and also competes for the Moroccan national team.