Golden State Warriors (1988–1991) Richmond was drafted 5th overall in the
1988 NBA draft by the
Golden State Warriors, following two years at
Kansas State, where he averaged 20 points per game, and two years at Moberly Area Community College. Richmond captured the
NBA Rookie of the Year Award in the
1988–89 season, after averaging 22 points per game for the Warriors. He was a key part of
Don Nelson's fast-paced offense, focusing on Richmond and teammates
Tim Hardaway and
Chris Mullin which was dubbed "
Run TMC" (the initials of the players' first names and a play on the name of the popular rap group
Run-DMC). In addition to the shooting he provided, he complemented Hardaway's passing and fast break skills and Mullin's shooting skills by slashing to the hoop as part of the Warriors' attack.
Sacramento Kings (1991–1998) After three years of scoring 22-plus points a game in Golden State, Richmond, on November 1, 1991, was traded (along with
Les Jepsen) to the
Sacramento Kings during the
1991–92 season in exchange for the rights to
Billy Owens, and became arguably the team's first star since the franchise moved to Sacramento in 1985. Staying with the Kings until 1998, Richmond was the team's leading scorer in each of his seven seasons there, averaging no fewer than 21.9 points a game each season. Between 1993 and 1998, Richmond was a fixture on the
Western Conference's
All-Star team, and he won MVP honors at the All-Star Game in Phoenix, in 1995. In the middle of his prime, Richmond was selected to the United States' Olympic team (
Dream Team III), earning a gold medal in
Atlanta. During his prime, Richmond was recognized as one of basketball's all-time best pure shooters.
Washington Wizards (1998–2001) Richmond was traded by the Kings, along with
Otis Thorpe, to the
Washington Wizards for
Chris Webber in May 1998, a move that keyed the Kings' transformation from perennial doormat to an elite title contender. However, things did not work out as well for Richmond. In three years with the Wizards, he lost a lot of the shooting touch he displayed as a King, and his days as a regular were numbered after missing half of the
2000–01 season. Richmond's departure from Washington coincided with the Wizards signing Richmond's perennial rival at the shooting guard position,
Michael Jordan.
Los Angeles Lakers (2001–2002) Richmond signed as a free agent with the
Los Angeles Lakers, where he played the final year of his career. Playing strictly off the bench, he averaged 4 points a game. He earned an
NBA championship ring with the Lakers in
2002 but played sparingly in the postseason, logging 4 minutes overall. In game 4 of the finals, just seconds after making the last basket of his career, Richmond dribbled out the clock to win the title with the Lakers. ==National team career==