Episode 26: International Baller with Micheal Ray Richardson

This week on Hear District, Marques and Kris are joined by 4-time NBA All-Star, Micheal "Sugar" Ray Richardson. One of the most promising and electric point guards of his generation, he was drafted #4 overall in 1978 by the New York Knicks and led the NBA in assists and steals in just his second season in the league. He opens up about what it was like being the only black player on the basketball team at the University of Montana, having his college coach leave to go coach Magic Johnson at Michigan State, becoming a sensation in New York City, and being banned from the NBA for life by David Stern for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Although he was later reinstated and offered a contract to return to the league, Richardson reveals why he chose to continue his decorated career in Europe, and how he was able to play professionally until he was 46 years old. Richardson also details how his son, Amir Richardson, an ascending soccer star who won a bronze medal this summer playing for the Moroccan national team at the Olympics, originally wanted to follow in his father's footsteps on the basketball court before pursuing the beautiful game. The show concludes with Richardson discussing the work he does in the community with former teammate Otis Birdsong, and the skills they hope to instill in the next generation of basketball stars. For more, follow @bucksplusaudio - the official podcast network of the Milwaukee Bucks - on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook, and listen to all Bucks+ podcast content at www.bucks.com/plus, or wherever you get your podcasts.