Jason Richardson
- For the Australian athlete and radio presenter, see Jason A. Richardson.
| No. 23 – Charlotte Bobcats | |
|---|---|
| Position | Shooting guard |
| Personal information | |
| Born | January 20, 1981 Saginaw, Michigan |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Michigan State |
| NBA draft | 2001: 5th overall |
| Selected by the Golden State Warriors | |
| Playing career | 2001–present |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Jason Anthoney Richardson (born January 20 1981 in Saginaw, Michigan) is an American professional basketball player currently playing shooting guard for the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats. He previously played for the Golden State Warriors, from whom he was traded on June 28 2007 after six years with the team.
NBA
The Warriors drafted Richardson out of Michigan State University with the fifth overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. It was while playing for Michigan State that he and fellow current NBA players Mateen Cleaves, Charlie Bell, and Morris Peterson (and current Melbourne Tiger and NBL first-teamer Dave Thomas) won an NCAA National Championship.
Richardson competed in the Rookie Challenge as a rookie in 2002 and a sophomore in 2003. His teams won both years, and he was awarded the MVP as a rookie. As a sophomore, he had a memorable moment when, in the closing seconds of the game, he bounced the ball off Carlos Boozer's forehead and then made a three-pointer before the clock ran out.[1]
During his time with Golden State, Richardson gained popularity for his outstanding scoring and dedication to the team.[2] The long time captain of the Warriors, Richardson organized a letter of apology to Warrior fans after the team failed to make the playoffs for the 12th straight season. The letter ran in several Bay Area newspapers. The following year, Richardson helped lead the Warriors to their first playoff game in 13 years. They won in the first round, upsetting the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks, but lost in the second round to the Utah Jazz.
On June 28, 2007, Richardson was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats along with the draft rights to 36th pick Jermareo Davidson for the draft rights to eighth pick Brandan Wright.[3]
Richardson began to gain attention with the Bobcats when he led the team to a road win against the Boston Celtics after scoring 34 points. This was only the Celtics' fourth loss of the season and second loss at home.[4] It was also the Bobcats' second road win of the season, ending an 11 game road losing streak. Richardson also led the Bobcats to a franchise-record five consecutive game winning streak, including a home win against his former team, the Golden State Warriors. Richardson posted 42 points against the Warriors.[5] The 2007-08 season was a season of rebuilding for Richardson and the Bobcats. He was able to get his points per game average back up to 21.8, lead the Bobcats in scoring, and lead the league in three-point field goals made.
Although no longer playing for Golden State, Richardson remains one of the most popular players among Warrior fans because of his electric style of play, and ability to shoot three-pointers. Richardson set the Warrior franchise record for three-pointers made in a game without missing (8) in a home win against the Phoenix Suns.[6] Richardson is especially known for his high-flying abilities and is widely regarded as one of the best dunkers in the NBA today.[7][8] He won the NBA Slam Dunk Contests in 2002 and 2003, joining Michael Jordan as the only players to have won in consecutive years. Richardson competed in the 2004 contest as well but lost to Fred Jones in the finals.
Awards and Accomplishments
- NBA Slam Dunk Champion: 2002, 2003
- Rookie Challenge MVP: 2002
- NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2002
- 1999 McDonald's All-American
References
- ^ Warrior tandem score big in loosely-played game February 5, 2003
- ^ Richardson trade is good news, sad news
- ^ Warriors trade J-Rich, pick up Wright, Belinelli on draft day June 29, 2007
- ^ Richardson, Bobcats Surprise Celtics January 9, 2008
- ^ Richardson’s 34 Help Bobcats Bring Down Wizards March 8, 2008
- ^ Jason Richardson Bio Page
- ^ Top 10 Dunkers Today
- ^ Best Dunk Contest Dunk: J-Rich in 2003
External links
- Jason Richardson Profile at NBA.com
- Jason Richardson's Apology Letter at GSoM
- 2k6-2k7 REPORT CARD: Jason Richardson (GSoM)