grizzlyjournal
Well-known member
https://twitter.com/MontanaGrizBB/status/1521896824063229952
citay said:Easily the most fabled player in the history of Montana basketball.
Michael Ray with the Knicks: "The ship be sinkin'." Reporter: "How far?" Michael Ray: "Sky's the limit."
Question to Michigan State head coach Jud Heathcote when he signed Magic Johnson. "Have you ever seen a player like Magic?" Jud: "Yes. Michael Ray Richardson."
The saddest part of his career: Getting traded to the Golden State Warriors. The drug trade was thriving in Oakland and he was an easy mark for the dealers.
Probably the best: Reclaiming his career and his reputation in Europe after the NBA issued its life-long suspension.
Happiness on my part: That he was finally initiated into our Hall of Fame.
More: That he remembers Stock's!
wyomingriz said:citay said:Easily the most fabled player in the history of Montana basketball.
Michael Ray with the Knicks: "The ship be sinkin'." Reporter: "How far?" Michael Ray: "Sky's the limit."
Question to Michigan State head coach Jud Heathcote when he signed Magic Johnson. "Have you ever seen a player like Magic?" Jud: "Yes. Michael Ray Richardson."
The saddest part of his career: Getting traded to the Golden State Warriors. The drug trade was thriving in Oakland and he was an easy mark for the dealers.
Probably the best: Reclaiming his career and his reputation in Europe after the NBA issued its life-long suspension.
Happiness on my part: That he was finally initiated into our Hall of Fame.
More: That he remembers Stock's!
Well said! I was only 7 or 8 years old when he was here, sat in general admission with my dad basically following MR's every move. Great era for Griz hoops! Also, on a side note, i lived a couple miles up Miller creek, and will never forget MR jogging by our house wearing huge hiking boots with red shoe laces, as i stared in awe
Proud Griz Man said:1979-80 MRR led the league in steals and assists.
he was the one guy that Isiah Thomas was scared of.
must watch documentary that tells some of the story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOo20EBKdDE
citay said:One other thing. Michal Ray Richardson might to this day be known as Mike Richardson had not we had Michael John Richardson at the same time. So in part he owes his great alliterative name to Montana.
Zirg said:citay said:One other thing. Michal Ray Richardson might to this day be known as Mike Richardson had not we had Michael John Richardson at the same time. So in part he owes his great alliterative name to Montana.
I did kinda know that. I knew there were 2 Richardsons on the Griz, but I thought it was MR's brother. Is that not right? Was this other Michael Richardson unrelated?
citay said:Zirg said:I did kinda know that. I knew there were 2 Richardsons on the Griz, but I thought it was MR's brother. Is that not right? Was this other Michael Richardson unrelated?
Not related. Michael John Richardson was white.
citay said:Zirg said:I did kinda know that. I knew there were 2 Richardsons on the Griz, but I thought it was MR's brother. Is that not right? Was this other Michael Richardson unrelated?
Not related. Michael John Richardson was white.
Mousegriz said:Micheal....is how he spells his first name!
citay said:Mousegriz said:Micheal....is how he spells his first name!
Micheal Ray Richardson
Michael John Richardson
Never forget one his plays at Dalberg, steals the ball down court, races up court, leaps from the free throw line with a huge dunk....oh ya!wyomingriz said:citay said:Easily the most fabled player in the history of Montana basketball.
Michael Ray with the Knicks: "The ship be sinkin'." Reporter: "How far?" Michael Ray: "Sky's the limit."
Question to Michigan State head coach Jud Heathcote when he signed Magic Johnson. "Have you ever seen a player like Magic?" Jud: "Yes. Michael Ray Richardson."
The saddest part of his career: Getting traded to the Golden State Warriors. The drug trade was thriving in Oakland and he was an easy mark for the dealers.
Probably the best: Reclaiming his career and his reputation in Europe after the NBA issued its life-long suspension.
Happiness on my part: That he was finally initiated into our Hall of Fame.
More: That he remembers Stock's!
Well said! I was only 7 or 8 years old when he was here, sat in general admission with my dad basically following MR's every move. Great era for Griz hoops! Also, on a side note, i lived a couple miles up Miller creek, and will never forget MR jogging by our house wearing huge hiking boots with red shoe laces, as i stared in awe
citay said:One final note. It's testimony to Richard's legendary status that forty seven years after playing here, this thread still resonates with the individual memories of his feats for so many Griz fans.
citay said:I want to correct some misinformation that I posted earlier.
I had remembered that Richardson's career ended with the Warriors, and that his drug problems began in Oakland. Not so. He was traded back to the New Jersey Nets in 1983 and proceeded to have his most productive years in the NBA, playing there until February of 1986 when he was suspended by David Stern after his third violation for drug use. Nor was it a lifetime ban. He was eligible for re-instatement in 1988 but decided instead to stay in Europe.
Another note. Chris Mullins, then a big star for the Warriors--and one of their color commentators on TV to this day--was a notorious alcoholic. Richardson complained bitterly that his drug suspension was racially motivated, that Chis Mullins avoided suspension not only because he was white but because he was just using a different drug. The white man's drug. Some justification for this point of view. In 1986, there were 24,000 traffic deaths due to drunk driving. Unless somebody was in his way on one of his legendary swoops to the basket, Richardson wasn't a threat to kill anybody.
One final note. It's testimony to Richard's legendary status that forty seven years after playing here, this thread still resonates with the individual memories of his feats for so many Griz fans.