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Michael Ray 'Sugar' Richardson, Virtus Bologna Icon and Four-Time NBA All-Star, Dies at 70

His attorney said he died in Lawton, Oklahoma after a brief battle with cancer.

Overview

  • Attorney John Zelbst confirmed Richardson’s death and described him as a remarkable competitor and family man.
  • With Virtus Bologna he captured two Coppa Italia titles and the 1990 Coppa Saporta, the club’s first European trophy, starring against Real Madrid in Florence.
  • A 1978 No. 4 overall draft pick and four-time NBA All-Star, he excelled with the Knicks and Nets and won the NBA’s 1985 Comeback Player of the Year award.
  • His NBA career ended after repeated drug-policy violations in the mid-1980s, after which he extended his career in Italy and across Europe.
  • ACF Fiorentina offered condolences to his son Amir, a Morocco international midfielder who joined the club from Reims in 2024.