Later in his life, he grew to become a star in Europe, dominating Italian leagues and ushering within the period generally known as “Sugarmania.” However it was in between these occasions when issues went south for the stalwart participant. Famously, Richardson grew to become the primary participant ever banned for all times by the NBA and then-commissioner David Stern. However he’s additionally the primary participant ever to be reinstated after such a punishment. For years, Richardson jeopardized his profession as a result of a extreme drug dependancy. And all of that may be learn in his new memoir, BANNED, which is out November 26.
Right here beneath, try an excerpt from that guide.
CHAPTER 8: “SUGAR”
Ever since school, individuals have referred to as me Sugar. It began on the College of Montana and the nickname simply caught. Once I first obtained to high school, in considered one of our early video games, I performed rather well. And because it was frequent for guys with the center identify Ray to be referred to as “Sugar Ray,” because of boxer Sugar Ray Robinson and later Sugar Ray Leonard, individuals began calling me Sugar, too. In Missoula, everyone thought I used to be a particular athlete—candy on and off the courtroom —so the nickname grew to become a part of me. At the moment, associates name me Sugar with out considering twice. And I’ve lived as much as it, even placing it on automotive license plates and equipment shifts.
In later years, the identify caught due to my connection to medicine. The moniker was one thing of an ironic one, a commentary on my failures as a lot as my expertise. It’s unusual how the 2 can intertwine on the prime. The height is so near the autumn. Individuals suppose when you get to the highest, it’s straightforward to remain there. Hell, that’s what I believed! However the laborious half is just not a lot getting there as it’s staying. I’d made the league. I used to be an All-Star. So after I began to do medicine, I believed I may cease it at any time. If I wished to do one thing, I merely did it. It might be the identical with my leisure behavior, proper? However I’d lastly run up in opposition to one thing that was stronger than even me.
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Human beings devour round 180 million metric tons of sugar a yr. The US is the largest shopper of sugar on the planet, as we soak up 11 million metric tons per yr. That’s ten occasions what we should always. America is a rustic of addicts and other people seeking to get excessive. As youngsters, we’re taught sweet is our pal. As younger adults, we sneak into our dad and mom’ liquor cupboards. Caffeine is one other one—the US consumes 146 billion cups of espresso per yr! Later in life, we get excessive on different white powders or devour medicine that make us hungry and wish, sure, extra sugar. It’s an epidemic. The stuff is all over the place.Sugar comes from vegetation. Sugar cane wants heat climates to develop. So, numerous it comes from locations in South America. Traditionally, that’s additionally the place numerous the US’ cocaine comes from, too. Even the world’s hottest soda, Coca-Cola, used to have cocaine in it. At the moment, a median American consumes round 450 servings of Coca-Cola merchandise per yr.
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Every part unhealthy started after I determined to maneuver from New Jersey to the Chelsea neighborhood of New York Metropolis through the center of my third season. Once I say issues like, Our tales are already written for us, it’s due to issues like what occurred subsequent. The mover who took my stuff from Jersey into town was cousins with one of many greatest dope sellers on the East Coast, a man named Muhammad. And the place precisely did Muhammad dwell? Whereas he got here from the West Indies, he now lived on the fourth ground of the constructing in Chelsea that I used to be about to maneuver into. I might be a ground beneath him.
I’d determined to maneuver into Manhattan as a result of I’d gotten sick of the commuting and town visitors. I wished to be nearer to the place I labored, to MSG. At the moment, I shake my head. What the heck did I do this for! Muhammad’s cousin launched us. On the time, I didn’t suppose a lot of it. I met new individuals on a regular basis because of my career, and Muhammad was a pleasant man, somebody who I believed was a pal. “Cease by anytime,” he instructed me. Some nights, as soon as I obtained settled in, I’d go up there and play playing cards or dominos and shoot the breeze. Simply passing the time. However the satan had a plan for me.
Then, as a substitute of simply taking part in video games, Muhammad began passing cocaine round. That’s after I sniffed it for the very first time. I’d simply gotten again from a staff street journey and determined to present coke a strive simply to be social with him and his associates. Like I mentioned, after I first snorted the white powder, it didn’t work on me. I didn’t get excessive. So I attempted it once more, not considering a lot of it. At Muhammad’s place, he’d produce other individuals over, even different NBA gamers generally. Coke was social, like alcohol. Shit, it was like espresso. However after I tried the stuff for a second and third time a number of days later, I obtained hooked. My mind exploded. Then, a number of weeks later, Muhammad introduced out the pipe.
In a matter of a couple of month, I went from sniffing coke to smoking it, which is a lot worse. Once you smoke cocaine, it’s referred to as freebasing, and it’s stronger. It’s like cocaine on steroids, when you can consider that. However to do it was a course of. You needed to exit and purchase this package with the precise pipe, a lighter, and different accouterments. When he introduced it out, Muhammad mentioned, “I would like you guys to strive one thing.” In Mike Carey‘s guide “Dangerous Information” about former professional basketball participant Marvin “Dangerous Information” Barnes, there are numerous seedy characters talked about. Nicely, Muhammad was a kind of in my life. He cherished to be round NBA gamers, and he obtained us hooked on him.
Muhammad was an enormous Knicks fan, too. So he knew who I used to be, and he appreciated me hanging round. However not like Dangerous Information, who was a hell of a participant in his years within the ABA, I used to be by no means concerned in any of the felony exercise, apart from sniffing and smoking. I by no means hosted events, bought medicine, or drove it anyplace. My downside was simply utilizing it—which is sufficient of an issue to have! Whereas I want Muhammad had by no means handed me the stuff and that his cousin had by no means launched us, and whereas I want I didn’t transfer into that constructing in Chelsea or rent that particular transferring firm, on the finish of the day I take full accountability for my all of my actions. They have been mine, and mine alone.
Since these days, I haven’t seen Muhammad. I don’t even know what I’d say to him if I did immediately. I’d in all probability set free a worn-down sigh—if he’s even nonetheless alive. I nonetheless keep in mind his voice, the look on his face, heat and beneficiant, however flickering. “Simply strive it,” he mentioned. “It’s not unhealthy. Simply strive it.” Me, being curious, I did. I appreciated it. I wished extra and I used to be naive. However even in these days, in my third yr and into my fourth season, I wasn’t but depending on the stuff. It wasn’t a very powerful factor in my life… but. It was simply one thing enjoyable to do, dipping and dabbing, first on off-days then at dwelling in Denver. Subsequent factor I knew, although, I used to be in it. Dangerous.
Deep down, I do know that I’ve a great coronary heart. Regardless that I obtained into some tough spots, I’m not a nasty man. You get blinders once you’re an addict. You’re there, trying via your eyes… however on the similar time, you’re not all there. Due to that, after I would get excessive, I wouldn’t need to exit in public. I didn’t need to be in Studio 54, the Cotton Membership on a hundred and twenty fifth, or anyplace within the metropolis after I was utilizing. I already knew I’d be paranoid, so I didn’t must be round individuals. On prime of that, I didn’t need anybody seeing me all fucked up. Addicts principally need to be alone.
Later in my profession, after I used medicine, I might both go to a lodge on my own, with a girlfriend or with possibly another one who was utilizing with me. If it wasn’t a lodge, I might simply do it in my condominium. In New York, I wasn’t but a full-blown drug addict. However quickly, I might go off a cliff. Once you get like that, you lose all sense of your self. You change into a zombie. Your solely ideas are once you’ll be getting excessive subsequent and for a way lengthy. It’s a parasite and also you don’t care about something however pacifying it. That’s what occurs when the satan has you.
