A player of almost immortal will to win and competitive drive, Mitch Richmond is proudly remembered as one of the best of the Golden State Warriors. His teamwork with Chris Mullin and Tim Hardaway is the stuff of legend. The trio would be named Run TMC for their play together.
An Olympic gold medalist, his team would be named the Dream Team 3 after making their way for the highest honors. Richmond was considered the best shooter on the team.
An up-and-coming star, Richmond went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award and stunned spectators with his performance. After moving to Sacramento, he would be named one of the first star players the team had after relocation.
After the San Antonio Spurs acquired him, he continued his display. With averages of more than 21 points per game, he managed to take home the MVP Award for that season’s All-Star Game.
Richmond had to wait a long time for his first NBA title. It came after signing with the Lakers, at the end of his career.
Mitch Richmond – Early life
Mitchell Richmond was born on June 30th, in 1965. Growing up in Lauderdale, his best buddy was another Florida standout athlete and Dallas Cowboys legend: Michael Irvin, who he met when they were both children. Irvin, known because of his talkative personality, served as the perfect contrast to Richmond’s more quiet nature.
Smooth’s life took a turn for the better when he met up with his old friends in Richmond. However, Smooth’s journey to finally achieve his dream of playing in the NBA was bumpy. He attended three high schools during his education. Due to his failure in one of the classes during his final year of high school, he nearly didn’t graduate. Recognizing that his future as a basketball player was endangered, Mitch enrolled in summer school which he passed pretty easily.
Richmond next traveled to Moberly in central Missouri, which was his next stop. Even though he was feeling alienated and homesick, Richmond posted 13.1 ppg while winning 69 games and losing 9 over the course of two years at Moberly. Dana Altman taught him to improve his posture and academic talents while he studied at Moberly Area Junior College, and, ultimately, became a mentor for him.
After hearing Altman’s advice, Richmond put in extra effort in the gym and the classes. He worked on his rebounding and perimeter shooting skills on the court. After a year at Oregon State University, Richmond was accepted to Kansas State University thanks to his improved grades.
Mitch Richmond – College career
Mitch Richmond was a two-year letterman for K-State head coach Lon Kruger from 1986 to 1988 and was one of the most famous players in school history. He helped lead the Wildcats to 45 victories, two NCAA Tournament appearances, and a trip to the 1988 NCAA Midwest Regional Final.
As a senior at Kansas State, he established the most records in school history, including the most by a player in a two-year career with 1,327 points and the fourth-best scoring average. He was also an All-American as a junior when he led the Wildcats to their record-setting 25th win and trip to the Elite Eight. He averaged 22.6 points on 51.4 percent shooting as a senior while being selected second-team All-American by several publications.
Mitch Richmond – NBA career
The Warriors picked Richmond with the fifth pick in the 1988 NBA draft.
Mitch Richmond – Golden State Warriors
Richmond’s first season was just as good as the following ones. Playing under Don Nelson, he averaged 22 ppg. These results were more than enough to get him the Rookie of the Year Award. NBA officials unanimously named him to be a part of the NBA All-Rookie Team of the season. He was the only player to be chosen without any votes against him.
His average wasn’t dropping the following season and he remained a bright spot on the court. Richmond’s average of 22.1 ppg was one of the best among guards. But it wasn’t only his scoring abilities that helped the team. His leadership on the court allowed him to be named the co-captain of the Warriors.
Mitch Richmond – Run TMC
In 1990-91, Richmond took it up a notch, averaging an incredible 23.9 points. His team play with the other two teammates, Tim Hardaway, and co-captain Chris Mullin earned them the name Run TMC, rewarding them for the hard work they put into their game. Regarded as one of the best trios to ever grace the NBA, they put on a show that stunned even the most demanding experts and entertained die-hard Warriors fans to no end.
All of that would change as Richmond was traded to the Sacramento Kings. The situation became far worse as he moved to an inferior team. Although his teammates were far from ideal, he would continue to post great numbers.
Mitch Richmond – Sacramento Kings
Mitch Richmond was greeted with overwhelming negativity as he joined the ranks of the Sacramento Kings. His teammates met him with a quick “welcome to hell.” The Kings had one of the worst runs in history. Still, Richmond was their hope and the first star player after relocation – this meant a lot. The situation was grim, with Dick Motta nearing the end of his career and the team practicing only 30 minutes each session. With the team’s morale destroyed almost beyond repair, Richmond had a huge task ahead of him.
Even though the Kings had yet another last-place finish in their conference, Richmond put up insane numbers. In all of the seven seasons he played with the franchise, his average wouldn’t go lower than 21.9. Despite having to adjust from being a player in a well-established team with other stars to being the only good one among mediocre guys, he managed to pull his weight ten-fold.
Mitch Richmond – Continued efforts
In the 1991-92 season, he finished ninth in scoring with 26.9 points per game. He accomplished it on12 occasions throughout the season, including twice within a month (March and April).
His third year was bittersweet. Even though it saw him taking the All-Star honors home and becoming the first player in Sacramento to do so, he broke his thumb and had to miss the remaining games in the season as well as the All-Star Game.
Richmond, driven by passion and sheer will, would have his payback. In the 1993-94 season, he placed seventh in the NBA with a 23.4 point average, and, finally, could make an appearance in the All-Star Game. The following year, he was even better individually. Through incredible play, he earned himself the MVP of the All-Star Game, scoring 23 points during just 22 minutes of playing time.
Mitch Richmond – Frustration arises
Still, even with Richmond in his prime, the team wasn’t good enough to compete with the league’s best. Failing to reach the playoffs, they were in a tough spot. In the 1994-95 campaign, they mustered 39 wins but didn’t manage to get to the postseason. As a guard, Richmond was topping the charts in terms of scoring with an average of 23.1 points in 1995-96, taking the honors of the All-Star Team once again. During that time, he also led the Dream Team 3 to Olympic gold.
Once again, Richmond took his playing to the next level. In the 1996-97 campaign, he averaged 26 ppg. He wasn’t satisfied, though. After that season, Richmond started to consider a different team. He was tired of losing. Because he didn’t make the playoffs for the entirety of his time with the Kings, he started looking for a team that had better chances.
Mitch Richmond – Washington Wizards
Richmond was offered multiple positions in the 1998 winter. He didn’t sign any contracts, though, and remained without a team until May. The Washington Wizards took him in for Chris Webber, who went to Sacramento. That move would prove to be rewarding, as the Kings moved to the top and started reaching the playoffs.
In three years as a King, he had lost much of his shooting touch and was on the verge of being demoted to a bench role after missing half of the 2000–01 season with the Wizards. The Wizards’ signing of Michael Jordan, Richmond’s perennial opponent at the shooting guard position, coincided with his departure from Washington.
Mitch Richmond – Los Angeles Lakers
Richmond went to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he spent his final season. He averaged 4 points per game while coming off the bench. With the Lakers in 2002, he earned an NBA championship ring but saw limited action in the playoffs, putting up just 4 minutes in total. With 0:00 remaining in Game 4 of the finals, Richmond dribbled out the clock to seal the first title of his career.
Mitch Richmond – Net Worth
Mitch Richmond is an NBA star who is estimated to have a net worth of around $20 million. He earned his wealth during his lengthy 13-year career in the NBA as well as through various endorsement deals. Richmond was also a six-time NBA All-Star and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.
Is Mitch Richmond a Hall of Famer?
On August 8, 2014, Mitch Richmond was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for 2014. On November 12, 2016, he received induction into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in San Francisco, California.
What is Mitch Richmond doing now?
Mitch Richmond has come full circle. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer began his link to Sacramento when he was drafted fifth overall by the Kings in 1988. He spent seven seasons playing for the Kings, and eventually joined their front office. Now, Richmond is rounding out his connection to Sacramento and the NBA as a Kings’ pregame and postgame analyst for NBC Sports California. Broadcasting games give Richmond a chance to share his insights and observations with fans, and he often draws on his experiences as both a player and an executive to provide thoughtful analysis.
Was Mitch Richmond a good shooter?
What set Richmond apart from other guards of his generation was his ability to shoot the three-pointer. In an era where most players were still trying to figure out how to effectively use the three-point line, Richmond was already nailing threes at a high percentage. As a result, he was one of the most efficient scorers in the league.
What was Mitch Richmond known for?
Mitch Richmond was known for his smooth shooting and effortless style on the court. A 6-time NBA All-Star, Richmond was one of the best scoring guards of his generation. He was a lethal outside shooter with a quick first step, and he used his athleticism to great effect on both ends of the court. Richmond was also known for his durability, playing in all 82 games in 7 of his 14 seasons in the NBA. In 1998, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players of his era.
