Micheal Ray Richardson, former NBA player who was the first player banned for life from NBA due to his drug use, has died aged 70 shortly after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. Richardson had a long career between 1978 and 2002, although he was banned for life in 1986 for testing positive in cocaine for the third time in three seasons. His ban, however, was lifted in 1988, but he never returned to the league, playing in Europe.
"I think he is the greatest NBA player that has never been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Incredible player -- player, person and family man", said his lawyer and friend John Zelbst, via ESPN. "He serves as an example on how to redeem yourself and make something of yourself.
One of his former NBA teams, the New York Knicks, lamented his death: "One of the fiercest defensive players of his era, the four-time NBA All-Star made an incredible impact on the Knicks during his four seasons with the franchise."
After his ban, he played in Croatia, Italy, and France, including Virtus Bologna, until his retirement in 2002. He then coached some teams in the CBA (Continental Basketball Association), a minor league in the United States that ended in 2009. He also co-wrote a book, titled "Banned: How I Squandered an All-Star NBA Career Before Finding My Redemption" and was the father of Michael Amir Junior Richardson, who plays for Fiorentina in Serie A and Morocco national team.