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Photo: NBAE/Getty
When the Clippers acquired guard Jerome “Pooh” Richardson from Indiana prior to the 1994-95 season, fans were excited about the player coming to L.A. because of his on-court skill and because he was a well-known commodity.
A standout during his four-year college career at nearby UCLA, the talented point guard played the last five years of his 10-year NBA career with the Clippers in a homecoming that was highlighted by a trip to the NBA playoffs in 1997.
A former NBA All-Rookie First Team selection while breaking in with Minnesota, Richardson played 282 games with the Clippers, and in his first two seasons in Los Angeles averaged 10.9 and 11.7 points per game, respectively.
 Photo: NBAE/Getty |
Clippers.com: How do you look back upon your years with the Clippers?
Pooh Richardson: A lot of my memories have to do with being around the guys. I played with a lot of great teammates and we had a lot of fun together. It was fun to go out there and compete with your teammates. Guys like Loy Vaught, Terry Dehere and Malik Sealy immediately come to mind. When you have guys like that, it makes it fun, even through the tough times. I also enjoyed my time with people in the front office like Elgin Baylor and Joe Safety. They were always fun to be around.
Q: In 1994 you were with the Pacers. What was your first reaction to the news you had been traded from Indiana to L.A.?
PR: For me, it was a situation where I sort of knew what was going on. I wasn’t surprised, and that is a good thing. When I did hear officially, I was happy. I lived in Los Angeles year-round and it was great to be back with friends I went to college with. I looked forward to playing in a Clipper uniform.
Q: At the time of the trade, you had played five years in the NBA. How comfortable were you in the league at that time?
PR: I was pretty comfortable then. I was at the point of being a leader and trying to make some of the younger guys better. It was important to me to help with their transition to the NBA. I looked forward to challenges.
Q: In 1996-97, your third year with the Clippers, the club made the playoffs. What do you remember the most about that experience?
PR: The difference between making the playoffs and not making the playoffs was basically not having a guy or two get warm for us or get hot. We had guys like Loy and Malik who played out of their minds that year, and when you have guys turning it on, everyone knows you have a shot. We tried to stay close to .500 because we knew that would give us a shot at the playoffs. That team, as a group, was built up and all of us fought and scrapped to get into the playoffs. It was a good feat for us. It was one of those things where the team wasn’t expected to do much and we surprised a lot of people.
Q: That Clippers team was considered to be deep but the group played unselfish basketball. Is that how you look at it?
PR: Absolutely. We passed the ball a lot for sure. There were times we played the Lakers at the Forum and we blew them out. It was a confident team as well. Rodney Rogers had some playoff experience, and when you bring that to a team, it is an advantage. All of a sudden we had some experienced guys and that helps you get through the tough parts of a season. Guys knew what to do when we found ourselves in a playoff chase.
Q: Of course, long before your successful NBA career you starred at UCLA for four seasons. How many fond memories do you have from Westwood?
 Photo: NBAE/Getty |
PR: Lots. The first was the first-ever Pac 10 Tournament that we won at Pauley. To this day, I am looking for footage of that.
Q: At one point during your time as a Bruin did you believe that a pro career was indeed in your future?
PR: I think as a young player, when you go and play basketball at a school like UCLA, and you do well, nine out of 10 times you will have an opportunity to pursue a career in basketball. The program is structured so well, so if you go to UCLA you will get a lot of opportunities.
Q: In 1989 you became the first player ever drafted by the expansion Timberwolves. What was it like to go to a first-year team as a first-year player yourself?
PR: Wow. That was a major experience. We sold out every game and we had a ton of enthusiastic fans – especially for a team not looking to do much of anything. We played at the Metrodome – sharing that facility with the Twins and Vikings – and we had some huge crowds.
Q: While with Minnesota, did you remember the first time you played in LA against the Clippers or the Lakers?
PR: That first game in L.A. was against the Lakers. I played against guys like Magic Johnson, Byron Scott and James Worthy, guys I had been playing against going back to my summers while at UCLA. I had learned so much from them then, and how they worked out, and I was looking forward to playing against them in the NBA.
Q: And finally, as you reflect back upon the years of the Clippers being in L.A., what immediately comes to mind?
PR: I remember one night, when we were having a very tough season and we were looking to have one of the worst starts in basketball, we had a game against Milwaukee that came down to the wire. There was a loose ball that I picked up and shot right before the buzzer went off. That saved us breaking a bad record. Also, more recently, when the Clippers went to the second round of the playoffs. I enjoyed that run very much as well.
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