Micheal Ray Richardson

Former NBA player Micheal Ray Richardson has been unconditionally released by the U.S. Basketball League's Long Island Knights, the team announced Sunday night. Richardson, banned from the NBA in December 1986, for drug use, averaged 26.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 6.4 assists in 15 games for the Knights.

Re "Micheal Ray and Jews: no harm, no foul," Opinion, April 3 Zev Chafets hit the nail on the head about Micheal Ray Richardson and his recent comments that got him suspended. Richardson has a penchant for comments that seem foul on first inspection but bear witness to reality on closer inspection. Like Richardson, I grew up in Denver and have known him since high school. We both had a number of Jewish friends. Chafets also knows how to turn a phrase that grabs your attention. He grew up with my wife in Michigan, where he attended synagogue on Saturday and Pentecostal church on Sunday with my wife and her family.

Micheal Ray Richardson, the former New Jersey Nets player who was banned by the National Basketball Assn. for drug use, has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of illegally cashing a check for more than $9,700. Bergen County Assistant Prosecutor Dennis Kwasnik said Richardson's auto insurance company, State Farm, gave him the check as payment for repair work caused when the former player damaged his wife's Mercedes-Benz in an accident last year.

UNTIL LAST week, Micheal Ray Richardson (that's how he spells it) was slightly famous for having once told a sportswriter that his team, the New York Knicks, was "a sinking ship." When the writer asked how far the ship might sink, Richardson replied, "The sky's the limit." That remark, however, wasn't what got Richardson into trouble; repeated drug use did. He wound up banned from the NBA, a vagabond basketball player in Europe.

No. 12 glides down the court, his eyes scanning the traffic of friendly and unfriendly players, his right hand pushing the ball forward effortlessly. He breaks right and a defender looms, but suddenly the ball is gone, shoveled left to a teammate for an easy layup. It is just like the old days for Micheal Ray Richardson, the former New Jersey Nets playmaker. But appearances are deceiving.

Micheal Ray Richardson scored 29 points to lead Knorr Bologna to a 79-74 victory over Real Madrid of Spain in the European Cup Winner's Cup final at Florence, Italy.

Knorr Bologna of the Italian League released Micheal Ray Richardson, claiming the former NBA all-star had breached his contract in an unspecified manner. Richardson, 35, was banned from the NBA for repeated substance abuse.

Micheal Ray Richardson left his Italian league team, Knorr Bologna, after disputing results of a drug test and is expected to sign with a Yugoslav club, Slobodna Dalmacija of Split.

Knorr Bologna of the Italian League released Micheal Ray Richardson, claiming the former NBA all-star had breached his contract in an unspecified manner. Richardson, 35, was banned from the NBA for repeated substance abuse.

The Italian basketball federation today suspended former NBA guard Micheal Ray Richardson for five games for instigating a brawl leading to a record 19 ejections. Three other players, Americans Clemon Johnson and Frank Johnson and Italian Stefano Rusconi, were each suspended for two games for their part in Sunday's fight, which occurred during the closing minutes of Ranger Varese's 91-73 victory over Knorr Bologna. Richardson, who plays for Knorr, started the melee by punching Rusconi of Ranger.

Chris Washburn of the Atlanta Hawks became the sixth player to be banned for life by the National Basketball Assn. under the league's anti-drug agreement, after a relapse, the league said Thursday. Washburn was suspended without pay by the NBA on Sept. 26, 1988, after his third substance-abuse relapse and was returned to the league's rehabilitation center in Van Nuys. He did not play last season. Washburn, a 6-foot 11-inch center/forward, may appeal his suspension after two years.