Banned: How I squandered an All-Star NBA profession earlier than discovering my Redemption

Later in his life, he grew to become a star in Europe, dominating Italian leagues and ushering within the period often known as “Sugarmania.” But it surely 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 resulting from a extreme drug dependancy. And all of that may be learn in his new memoir, BANNED, which is out November 26.

Right here under, take a look at an excerpt from that e-book.

CHAPTER 8: “SUGAR”

Ever since faculty, folks 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 one in every of our early video games, I performed very well. And because it was widespread for guys with the center title Ray to be referred to as “Sugar Ray,” because of boxer Sugar Ray Robinson and later Sugar Ray Leonard, folks 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. In the present day, associates name me Sugar with out considering twice. And I’ve lived as much as it, even placing it on automobile license plates and kit shifts.

In later years, the title caught due to my connection to medication. 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. Folks suppose in the event you get to the highest, it’s simple to remain there. Hell, that’s what I assumed! However the exhausting half isn’t a lot getting there as it’s staying. I’d made the league. I used to be an All-Star. So once I began to do medication, I assumed I may cease it at any time. If I needed to do one thing, I merely did it. It might be the identical with my leisure behavior, proper? However I’d lastly run up towards one thing that was stronger than even me.

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Human beings eat round 180 million metric tons of sugar a 12 months. The US is the most important client of sugar on the planet, as we absorb 11 million metric tons per 12 months. That’s ten occasions what we must always. America is a rustic of addicts and folks trying 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 12 months! Later in life, we get excessive on different white powders or eat medication that make us hungry and wish, sure, extra sugar. It’s an epidemic. The stuff is in every single place.
Sugar comes from crops. Sugar cane wants heat climates to develop. So, plenty of it comes from locations in South America. Traditionally, that’s additionally the place plenty of the US’ cocaine comes from, too. Even the world’s hottest soda, Coca-Cola, used to have cocaine in it. In the present day, a median American consumes round 450 servings of Coca-Cola merchandise per 12 months.

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All the pieces dangerous started once 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 the 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 flooring of the constructing in Chelsea that I used to be about to maneuver into. I might be a flooring under him.

I’d determined to maneuver into Manhattan as a result of I’d gotten sick of the commuting and the town site visitors. I needed to be nearer to the place I labored, to MSG. In the present day, 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 folks on a regular basis because of my career, and Muhammad was a pleasant man, somebody who I assumed was a pal. “Cease by anytime,” he advised 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 an alternative of simply taking part in video games, Muhammad began passing cocaine round. That’s once I sniffed it for the very first time. I’d simply gotten again from a crew highway journey and determined to provide coke a strive simply to be social with him and his associates. Like I stated, once 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 folks over, even different NBA gamers generally. Coke was social, like alcohol. Shit, it was like espresso. However once 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 few 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, in the event you can imagine that. However to do it was a course of. You needed to exit and purchase this package with the suitable pipe, a lighter, and different accouterments. When he introduced it out, Muhammad stated, “I need you guys to strive one thing.” In Mike Carey‘s e-book “Dangerous Information” about former professional basketball participant Marvin “Dangerous Information” Barnes, there are plenty of seedy characters talked about. Effectively, Muhammad was a type of in my life. He liked to be round NBA gamers, and he obtained us hooked on him.

Muhammad was a giant Knicks fan, too. So he knew who I used to be, and he favored me hanging round. However in contrast to 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, offered medication, or drove it wherever. My drawback 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 shifting firm, on the finish of the day I take full accountability for my all of my actions. They had 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 at present. I’d most likely 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 stated. “It’s not dangerous. Simply strive it.” Me, being curious, I did. I favored it. I needed extra and I used to be naive. However even in these days, in my third 12 months and into my fourth season, I wasn’t but depending on the stuff. It wasn’t crucial factor in my life… but. It was simply one thing enjoyable to do, dipping and dabbing, first on off-days then at house in Denver. Subsequent factor I knew, although, I used to be in it. Dangerous.

Deep down, I do know that I’ve a very good coronary heart. Though I obtained into some tough spots, I’m not a nasty man. You get blinders while you’re an addict. You’re there, trying via your eyes… however on the identical time, you’re not all there. Due to that, once 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 one hundred and twenty fifth, or wherever within the metropolis once I was utilizing. I already knew I’d be paranoid, so I didn’t must be round folks. On prime of that, I didn’t need anybody seeing me all fucked up. Addicts largely need to be alone.

Later in my profession, once I used medication, I might both go to a resort on my own, with a girlfriend or with possibly another one who was utilizing with me. If it wasn’t a resort, I might simply do it in my house. 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 turn out to be a zombie. Your solely ideas are while 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.