Wayne State University Athletics

Richardson, a native of Detroit and graduate of Detroit Cooley HS, set two career and one single game record in his four-year men's basketball career (1974-78) at Wayne State. He lettered all four seasons at WSU, and was a two-time team Most Valuable Player ('75-76, '76-77). Richardson saw action in 100 games over his four-year collegiate career, and he started 79 of those contests. He played mainly at center, and led his team twice in scoring and three times in rebounding. Richardson finished with 1,484 career points after the 1977-78 season, putting him behind WSU Hall of Famer Bob Solomon's 1,612 career points on the all-time list. Richardson is currently ranked fourth on Wayne State's all-time scoring list. During his freshman season Richardson averaged 11.9 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, and he was named the team's Most Improved Player upon the season's conclusion. In the Tartars' 1974 Alumni Festival, Richardson was named to the All-Festival Team. His 10.0 rebounding average topped the Tartars as a freshman. Richardson led the Tartars in scoring and rebounding the next two seasons. As a sophomore he averaged 16.4 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. In his junior season Richardson averaged career-highs of 20.8 scoring and 12.0 rebounding per game. At the end of both seasons Richardson was named the recipient of the Fred M. Fisher Award, given annually to the Tartars' Most Valuable Player. Richardson was the first Tartar since Solomon to win the Fisher Award more than once in his career. In the 1975 Wayne State Alumni Festival, Richardson was again named to the All-Festival Team, and he was also named the Festival's Most Outstanding Player. Richardson established the current blocked shots record of nine in a 73-59 win over Illinois-Chicago Circle in the opening game of the '75 Tartar Alumni Festival. The Alumni Festival Tournament was dropped after the 1975-76 season. The 1976-77 season was Wayne State's first in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLlAC), and Richardson became the first WSU men's basketball player ever honored by the GLIAC with his selection to the all-conference Second Team. Richardson also co captained the '76-77 squad. A new head coach was appointed for the 1977-78 season, and Richardson's role changed in a new offensive scheme. Richardson finished with averages of 10.4 scoring and 6.5 rebounding in his last year at Wayne State. Richardson received his B.S. in Recreational Therapy from Wayne State in Fall 1982. In his senior season at Detroit Cooley HS Richardson earned All-City Third Team basketball honors. Richardson was recruited by Robert Samaras to Wayne State. For the last three years Richardson has worked as a counselor with Development Centers of Detroit. Development Centers is a mental health agency working in conjunction with the Detroit Public Schools to provide special education support services.