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 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, try an excerpt from that e-book.
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 received to highschool, in one in every of our early video games, I performed rather well. And because it was frequent for guys with the center title Ray to be referred to as “Sugar Ray,” due to boxer Sugar Ray Robinson and later Sugar Ray Leonard, individuals began calling me Sugar, too. In Missoula, all people thought I used to be a particular athlete—candy on and off the courtroom —so the nickname grew to become a part of me. Right this moment, buddies 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 title 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 high. The height is so near the autumn. Individuals assume in case you get to the highest, it’s simple to remain there. Hell, that’s what I believed! However the laborious half will not be 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 might cease it at any time. If I needed to do one thing, I merely did it. It will 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 soak up 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 children, 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 medicine that make us hungry and wish, sure, extra sugar. It’s an epidemic. The stuff is in all places.
Sugar comes from vegetation. Sugar cane wants heat climates to develop. So, lots of it comes from locations in South America. Traditionally, that’s additionally the place lots of the USA’ cocaine comes from, too. Even the world’s hottest soda, Coca-Cola, used to have cocaine in it. Right this moment, a mean American consumes round 450 servings of Coca-Cola merchandise per 12 months.
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Every thing unhealthy started after I determined to maneuver from New Jersey to the Chelsea neighborhood of New York Metropolis throughout 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 largest 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 under him.
I’d determined to maneuver into Manhattan as a result of I’d gotten sick of the commuting and town visitors. I needed to be nearer to the place I labored, to MSG. Right this moment, I shake my head. What the heck did I try this for! Muhammad’s cousin launched us. On the time, I didn’t assume a lot of it. I met new individuals on a regular basis due to my occupation, and Muhammad was a pleasant man, somebody who I believed was a pal. “Cease by anytime,” he advised me. Some nights, as soon as I received 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 enjoying 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 workforce street journey and determined to present coke a attempt simply to be social with him and his buddies. 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 received 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. While you smoke cocaine, it’s referred to as freebasing, and it’s stronger. It’s like cocaine on steroids, in case you can imagine that. However to do it was a course of. You needed to exit and purchase this equipment with the fitting pipe, a lighter, and different accouterments. When he introduced it out, Muhammad mentioned, “I would like you guys to attempt one thing.” In Mike Carey‘s e-book “Dangerous Information” about former professional basketball participant Marvin “Dangerous Information” Barnes, there are lots of seedy characters talked about. Nicely, Muhammad was a kind of in my life. He liked to be round NBA gamers, and he received us hooked on him.
Muhammad was an enormous 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 legal exercise, aside from sniffing and smoking. I by no means hosted events, bought medicine, or drove it wherever. 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 at the moment. I’d in all probability set free a worn-down sigh—if he’s even nonetheless alive. I nonetheless bear in mind his voice, the look on his face, heat and beneficiant, however flickering. “Simply attempt it,” he mentioned. “It’s not unhealthy. Simply attempt 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 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 an excellent coronary heart. Despite the fact that I received into some tough spots, I’m not a nasty man. You get blinders if you’re an addict. You’re there, wanting by your eyes… however on the identical 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 wherever within the metropolis after I was utilizing. I already knew I’d be paranoid, so I didn’t must be round individuals. On high of that, I didn’t need anybody seeing me all fucked up. Addicts largely need to be alone.
Later in my profession, after I used medicine, I might both go to a resort on my own, with a girlfriend or with possibly yet another one that was utilizing with me. If it wasn’t a resort, I might simply do it in my residence. In New York, I wasn’t but a full-blown drug addict. However quickly, I might go off a cliff. While you get like that, you lose all sense of your self. You change into a zombie. Your solely ideas are if you’ll be getting excessive subsequent and for the 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.
