17년만에 돌아온 마이클 레이 리차드슨

[안썩]

좀 지난 기사지만 뉴스게시판에 빠져있길래 가져왔는데, 이것도 역시 마약관련기사네요 --;

17년전 마이클 레이 리차드슨이란 선수가 마약복용으로 추방당한뒤

덴버 너게츠의 커뮤니티 앰버서더(지역사회 대사?)로 돌아왔다는 뉴스입니다

4번의 올스타이자 덴버가 고향인 그는 이번 여름동안 아이들을 위해 농구를 가르치게 됩니다.

1978년 NBA에 데뷔하여, 닉스, 워리어스, 네츠 등에서 8년간을 뛴었습니다.

리차드슨은 79-80시즌 어시스트 부문과 스틸부문에서 동시에 1위를 기록한 첫번째 NBA 선수이기도 합니다

1986년 세번의 마약규정 위반으로 데이빗 스턴에 의해 추방되었습니다

그후 다시 컴백을 시도했었지만 여전히 약물양성반응이 나왔다네요

덴버 너게츠 홈페이지에 자세한 내용과 그와의 대화내용이 담겨있습니다

http://www.nba.com/nuggets/chat/michealray030731.html

Former NBA guard Micheal Ray Richardson, right, signs an autograph for Chase Bostic,11, before teaching children in the basic skills of basketball Friday, Aug. 8, 2003, in a northeast Denver gymnasium.
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Micheal Ray Richardson returns to NBA for first time in 17 years

August 5, 2003

DENVER (AP) -- Micheal Ray Richardson has returned to the NBA as a community ambassador for the Denver Nuggets, 17 years after he was banned from the league for drug use.

The four-time All Star, a Denver native, was hired this summer.

``He's working at clinics for kids,'' spokesman Eric Sebastian said Tuesday. ``He's just going to be one of our main guys out in the community.''

Richardson joined the NBA out of Montana in 1978 and played eight seasons with the New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors and New Jersey Nets. He averaged about 15 points a game.

Richardson was the first NBA player to lead the league in both assists and steals in 1979-80.

But starting in 1983, he underwent periodic treatment for cocaine use. He was named NBA comeback player of the year in 1984, but was in and out of rehab the following two seasons while playing for New Jersey.

Then in 1986, NBA commissioner David Stern banned Richardson for life after he violated the league's drug policy three times. At the time, Stern said it was ``the hardest thing I've ever had to do as commissioner.

Richardson began his comeback in 1988, joining the ranks of ex-NBA players in European leagues. His right to play in the NBA was restored that year but he stayed in Italy, where he was a leading scorer and fan favorite.

Richardson failed two cocaine tests in 1991, though he disputed the results.

Richardson told Nuggets.com he has done some overseas work for the NBA in the past few years, but was encouraged by Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe to contact the team if he ever moved back to Denver.

``I think what kind of really helped me was when I left the country and went overseas,'' he said. ``And then I had a lot of idle time where I could really think about it and I finally got myself to where I am now.''

On the Net: http://www.nba.com/nuggets