Pooh Richardson

Jerome "Pooh" Richardson Jr. (born May 14, 1966) is an American former basketball player who played 10 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected in the first round of the 1989 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, the first draft pick in franchise history. He would also play for the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Clippers during his 10-year NBA career from 1989 to 1999.

Richardson played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins from 1985 to 1989. A three-time first-team all-conference selection in the Pac-10 (now the Pac-12), he set school career records for assists and three-point field goal percentage.

His nickname came from his grandmother, who thought he resembled Winnie the Pooh.

Early life Richardson grew up in Philadelphia, and played basketball in the Sonny Hill League. He was a McDonald's All-American while playing at Ben Franklin High School. He led Ben Franklin to the Public League championship in 1984. The Philadelphia Tribune called Richardson "a basketball legend in [Philadelphia]." Franklin retired his jersey in 2023.

College Recruited by head coach Walt Hazzard to play at the University of California, Los Angeles, In his freshman year in 1985–86, he was honored as the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year as well as team's most valuable freshman player and outstanding defensive player. The following season, he was named first-team All-Pac-10. In his junior year, he was named the team's most valuable player (MVP) In Richardson's senior year in 1988–89, he was the team's MVP for the second consecutive year, |group=lower-alpha and highest career three-point field goal percentage (46.4).

Professional playing career The point guard was taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the tenth overall pick of the 1989 NBA draft out of UCLA. He was their first ever draft choice

Coaching career Richardson became an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) coach in Coachella Valley, California, where he purchased a home during his time with Minnesota. In 2017, he became an assistant coach at the College of the Desert.