Where Are They Now: Jason Richardson

The Atlanta Hawks announced yesterday that they had successfully signed free agent Jason Richardson. If you’re reading this, there are two likely responses:

Who is Jason Richardson and what does this have to do with the Warriors?!
Jason Richardson is still playing in the league?!

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When I read the news, my reaction was of the latter. Last I heard, J-Rich was playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, but had no idea that he would be continuing another season, let alone be picked up by last season’s Eastern Conference finalists.

For the uninitiated, Richardson was part of the Golden State Warriors’ “We Believe” team. The Warriors drafted him in 2001 with the fifth overall pick and quickly became a fan favourite. His highlight dunks and dedication to the team accelerated that process. In fact, the most endearing moment was when he issued a letter of apology to fans in 2005 after failing to make the playoffs for the 12^th straight season.

It was made all the more sweeter the next season when Richardson led the Warriors to their first playoff game in 13 years – beating the first-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the first round for one of the greatest playoff upsets in NBA history.

Richardson was famous for his electrifying dunks – he was a two-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion and was widely regarded as one of the best dunkers in his prime.

He was traded the season after they made the playoffs – just one of the many dominoes to fall that led to the team going through another period of rebuilding. He bounced around the league after that, never playing longer than three seasons before settling with the 76ers. Injury and age caught up with him as he began to miss more games, and while he was still capable of the odd highlight dunk, it wasn’t the same J-Rich that Warriors’ fans used to know.

Richardson and the “We Believe” Warriors gave fans a sense of hope during what was a dark time for the organization. It was 12 straight seasons of non-playoff basketball, which included six seasons with a win percentage under .400. The 2007 Warriors was a breath of fresh air for fans, and was one of the biggest underdog stories in the league.

J-Rich will always hold a special place in the Warriors’ fanbase’s heart, especially for those who were around to see him play. He may have never been an All-Star or led the Warriors to a title, but his heart, determination, and grit were bar none.

On a sidenote, it seems as though the Hawks are building up quite the Warriors’ contingent – Richardson, Kent Bazemore, and Justin Holiday.

Next: What if the Warriors Traded for Kevin Love?

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