Richardson played college basketball for DePaul University where he averaged 17.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game in two seasons. He became the only player in school history to have 1,000+ points, 500+ rebounds and 100+ three-point field goals. As a freshman, he earned both the Conference USA Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Richardson declared for the NBA draft after his sophomore year in 2000.
Professional career
Los Angeles Clippers (2000–2004)
Richardson was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers with the 18th pick of the 2000 NBA draft. He was selected after fellow Clippers Darius Miles and Keyon Dooling. Richardson would star in a documentary with Miles entitled The Youngest Guns which chronicled their first three seasons in the NBA with the Clippers.
Richardson's debut game was played on October 31, 2000 in a 94 - 107 loss to the Utah Jazz where he recorded 2 points and 2 rebounds in 7 minutes of playing time.[1] In his first game as a starter on November 29, 2000, Richardson played 43 minutes and recorded 18 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in a 103 - 86 victory over the Golden State Warriors.[2]
On New Year's Eve 2003, Richardson posted a career-high 44 points in a 120 - 104 victory over the Denver Nuggets. It was the only time in Richardson's 13-year career where he scored 40 points or more.
Richardson spent four seasons with the Clippers playing in 281 games (starting 105 of them) and averaging 12.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists at 25.7 minutes per game.
Phoenix Suns (2004–2005)
Richardson signed with the Phoenix Suns as a free agent on July 29, 2004.[3]
The 2004–05 season was a big one for not only Richardson, but the Suns as well. He set a new Suns single-season record for three-point field goals, eclipsing the previous record of 199 set by Dan Majerle. He finished the season with a league-leading 631 three-point attempts, and 226 three-point field goals,[4] co-leading the league with Kyle Korver. Richardson also set a Suns franchise record with nine threes against the New Orleans Hornets on December 29, 2004.[4] Richardson would also go on to win the NBA All-Star Three-Point Shootout that same season.[5] The Suns finished the regular season with a league-best 62 wins and 20 losses. He made his playoff debut with the Suns in 2005 who would eventually lose to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals.
On November 20, 2024 on his Knuckleheads Podcast with Darius Miles, Richardson revealed that his sole season in Phoenix was his favorite season of his entire NBA career. Citing that he had the most fun playing with his teammates, the rising stardom of his fellow teammates such as Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire and how the Suns were able to shock the league by making a deep playoff run to the Western Conference Finals.
New York Knicks (2005–2009)
Richardson was traded from the Suns, along with 2005 draft pick Nate Robinson, to the New York Knicks in exchange for Kurt Thomas and Dijon Thompson on June 28, 2005.[4]
His first three seasons in New York were largely hampered by nagging injuries—the most serious being a chronic back condition—which limited him to 55, 49, and 65 games played respectively. His injury situation finally stabilized during the 2008–2009 season, when he remained healthy enough to appear in all, but seven games. This does not include two additional DNP-CDs (Did Not Play – Coach's Decision) that he received; one on February 28, 2009, against the Miami Heat and a second on March 10, 2009, against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Finally, after being a member of the Timberwolves for just 24 days, Richardson was traded for the fourth time on August 13, 2009, this time to the Miami Heat for Mark Blount.[9] Richardson would be a consistent starting Small Forward for the Heat, starting in 75 of the 76 games he played while averaging 8.9 points and 4.9 rebounds.
Orlando Magic (2010–2012)
In 2010, Richardson signed with the Orlando Magic. He remained with the team until October 2012, when he was waived. During his 2-year stint with Orlando, Richardson played 105 games and averaged 4.4 points, 0.7 assists and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 31.5% from the 3pt-line.
Return to New York (2013)
On April 16, 2013, Richardson signed with the New York Knicks for the remainder of the season,[10][11] joining that team for a second time. He only played one regular season game, scoring five points in twenty nine minutes on 1 for 11 shooting, but brought down ten rebounds. He did appear in five playoff games, hitting two three-pointers in New York's 26-point blowout win of the Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
On July 10, 2013, Richardson was part of a trade package to the Toronto Raptors, along with center Marcus Camby, forward Steve Novak, a first-round draft pick in 2016, and two second-round draft picks in 2014 and 2017, in exchange for forward Andrea Bargnani.[12]
Richardson's final NBA game was played on May 11, 2013, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals versus the Indiana Pacers. Richardson played less than 2 minutes and the only stat he recorded was 1 rebound.
On September 3, 2013, Richardson was waived by the Raptors.[13]
Post-playing career
On August 7, 2014, it was announced that Richardson was named the director of player development for the Detroit Pistons.
As of 2014[update] he worked for the Bally Sports Orlando Magic broadcast team.[14]
In 1992, Richardson lost his mother to breast cancer, his grandmother to natural causes, and also his brother, Bernard, who was shot and killed in Chicago, aged 23.[16] Another of Richardson's brothers, Lee Jr., was murdered on December 5, 2005, in Chicago during a robbery.[16][17] Richardson has another older brother, Cedric, and one older sister Rochelle. Richardson is also the cousin of multi entrepreneur Dean Richardson.
Richardson was engaged for 14 months to R&B singer Brandy. They split in September 2005.[18]
Richardson has appeared in multiple acting roles, most notably as himself in the 2002 film Van Wilder.
