Richard Jefferson

Richard Jefferson, the american basketball life and biography

Richard Jefferson or Richard Allen Jefferson Jr. (born June 21, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on ESPN. Richard Jefferson played college basketball with the Arizona Wildcats. Jefferson was drafted in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft with the 13th overall pick , and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in Richard Jefferson first season with the New Jersey Nets (now known as the Brooklyn Nets). Richard Jefferson won an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. Richard Jefferson was also a member of the United States national team that won a bronze medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Jefferson retired from playing in 2018, becoming a basketball analyst.

Jefferson was born in Los Angeles and was raised in Phoenix. Richard Jefferson parents were both Christian missionaries, and Richard Jefferson moved around frequently growing up. Richard Jefferson attended Moon Valley High School in West Phoenix, where Richard Jefferson was an integral part of the varsity basketball team that won the 4A State Championship in 1998.

Jefferson played college basketball at the University of Arizona, under Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson from 1998 to 2001. During Richard Jefferson 84-game career (77 starts), Jefferson averaged 11.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Richard Jefferson capped Richard Jefferson career by being part of the Arizona team that advanced to the 2001 national championship game where the Wildcats fell to Duke. Along the way, Jefferson was an all-Midwest Regional and all-Final Four selection. Richard Jefferson was inducted into the Pac-12 Basketball Hall of Honor during the 2012 Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, March 10, 2012.