Rook 2 is ready to hang up his sneakers.
Veteran NBA swingman Josh Richardson announced in a post to social media on Wednesday night that he is retiring from basketball. Richardson said, “I always gave my best, that’s why i can say this with no regret,” and proceeded to issue a statement of gratitude to his coaches, teammates, and fans.
You can see Richardson’s full post here.
Still only 32 years old, Richardson was a four-year player at the University of Tennessee, making two SEC All-Defensive teams and earning a First Team All-SEC selection in 2015. He then went to the Miami Heat as a second-round pick (No. 40 overall) in the 2015 NBA Draft.
Richardson quickly developed into an important player for the Heat, getting key minutes as a rookie during their 2016 Eastern Conference playoff run. By 2019, Richardson had become one of Miami’s best homegrown success stories, leading the team in scoring that year with 16.6 points per game.
Eventually, Richardson was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers as part of the deal that sent Jimmy Butler to Miami. He bounced around the league after that, playing for the 76ers, the Dallas Mavericks, the Boston Celtics, the San Antonio Spurs, and the New Orleans Pelicans before ultimately returning to the Heat as a little-used reserve for the final two seasons of his NBA career from 2023-25.
Richardson produced some highlights and some lowlights over the course of his time in the league. But he will ultimately go down as a surprise NBA success story after 10 career seasons and over $62 million in total salary.
