Apr 8, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard
(23) shoots foul shots against the Washington Wizards at Wells Fargo Center. The Wizards won 119-90. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jason Richardson
Jason Richardson is a thirteen year veteran shooting guard who announced his retirement September 23, 2015, following his 2014-2015 season with the Philadelphia 76ers. Richardson played 33 games for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2013-2014, and 19 games in 2014-15. His time with the team was hindered tremendously due to several serious injuries. Those issues looked serious enough last October to persuade Richardson to retire then, but he fought to get back onto the court. Richardson is a hard working player, willing his way back to play when simply collecting a paycheck from a bad Sixers organization would have been the easier path. Richardson retires with more than 14,644 points, a 17.1 per-game scoring average (for both the regular season and playoffs, oddly enough), and a 16.3 PER.
"I didnt want to limp the rest of my life. I still have my whole life in front of me," @jrich23 told Y."I want to be able to play w/my kids"
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) September 24, 2015
While it’s clear that the time had come for Richardson to walk away from the game, his production and work ethic would have been a true bonus to the Sixers this season. A no-nonsense guy, his dunks will be the aspect of his game that will be most remembered. But Richardson’s professionalism was always the constant and dependable aspect of his career. From the basketball court to interviews, it’s almost impossible to hear a negative word from anyone who spent time around the guy. Richardson adapted his game to new circumstances and always came out more respected than before.
His production was waning and it’s quite understandable after so many years of physical wear and tear, that he simply wanted to walk away while he could still walk. But it remains a mental exercise to imagine one more year of the man on this team. I believe he would have been a positive force, as he was his entire NBA career.
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