Jason Richardson has always been more than just a dunker.
Yes, his name rings bells from the iconic back-to-back NBA Slam Dunk Contest titles. Yes, NBA Live ‘05 had fans everywhere trying to replicate his 360s and windmills with a flick of the joystick. But J-Rich’s impact stretches well beyond highlight reels. His game, his voice, and his influence on the next generation are as relevant now as they were during his prime.
Now suiting up for the BIG3, Richardson enters a new chapter, but the passion still burns. The fire to compete. The love for the game. And the curiosity about how the past connects with the present — and the future.
As we sat down for a wide-ranging Q&A, nothing was off the table.
We talked about what it’s like returning to the court in the BIG3 this season and what excites him about this latest run. We reflected on how the game — and the culture — has shifted since his early NBA days, including the “what-ifs” of his era having had social media. With social media now a dominant force, we examined how it has shaped fan perception, especially around the Dunk Contest and whether it can ever recapture its former glory. And yes, LeBron James came up — both in the context of his career-long Dunk Contest absence and the surreal possibility of him entering one at age 41.
We looked back at Richardson’s own Slam Dunk Contest memories and video game legacy. But this wasn’t just about nostalgia. J-Rich weighed in on today’s talent too — including Anthony Edwards, a rising star whose edge and energy bring echoes of a throwback era. He broke down what Edwards should be focusing on this offseason and opened up about the moment he realized he was the guy other teams were game-planning for.
We took it back to that electric 2006-07 “We Believe” Warriors squad and talked about how their fearless underdog energy would hold up in today’s NBA. Family matters also took center stage — especially his son, Jase Richardson, now playing at Michigan State under the same Tom Izzo who coached J-Rich two decades ago. From raising a grounded young hooper to watching him live out his own Big Ten journey, it’s come full circle.
From LeBron’s Wizards-era MJ vibes to the state of the Golden State Warriors today, Richardson gave his candid takes. He talked about legacy, longevity, and the dangers of comparison culture — including whether we’ll ever see another dominant big man in the mold of Wilt or Shaq. We got into the minds of some of the smartest hoopers he ever shared the court with, and what made Dražen Petrović and Toni Kukoč pioneers — plus who might carry that European torch next.
This was more than a sit-down. It was a masterclass in basketball evolution, legacy, and love for the game.
Tap in below for my full Q&A with Jason Richardson.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: How excited are you to be playing in the BIG3 this year?
Jason Richardson: I’m very excited! I’m going into my 6th year. I’ve been dialing in for the last couple of years and I’m excited this season going back with Dr. J representing the city of Chicago. It’s gonna be a tough year this year with some of these guys that are coming into this league, but I’m looking forward to having a good season.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Do you ever wonder what life would have been like if you had social media earling in your career?
Jason Richardson: Naw, I don’t look at it like that, you know? I was just thinking about that a couple months ago. Me and friends were talking about it like, You always had these stories of guys jumping over cars and these guys had a legacy… and then when you find somebody that has the film on it, it wasn’t that great! [laughs] So you know, it’s like the gift and the curse to having social media because it’s a truth teller. So I think a lot of these stories of guys that touched the top of the backboard, he jumped over the car the long way… you want to have that ‘something’ about you like, that was alleged and he did his thing through memory because everything now is going through social media and you have truth for people who wanna stretch the truth a little bit. I think it’s cool that I grew up in that era without social media.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Do you think social media has made people harder to impress when it comes to the Dunk Contest — almost like there’s a filter now where nothing feels new or exciting? And is there still a way to save it?”
Jason Richardson: Yeah I think social media kind of does that. Because now no longer guys are doing these dunks and you can see people doing these dunks in camps and in the summertime; now you have competition of professional dunkers now and when you see some of these guys and some of things that they can do, it’s amazing and now you have an unrealistic expectation of wanting NBA players doing what those guys are doing and they’re training to do that. And so, in parts it hurts the Slam Dunk Contest in a sense that, Hey. Why isn’t Anthony Edwards in there taking it between his legs, 360 and then doing a tomahawk all at the same time? And people are like, Well… he can’t do that. And others will be like, Well, I saw a professional dunker do that. So I think it’s kind of hard because social media has almost kind of tainted us because we’ve seen so many guys that are doing so many spectacular dunks out there.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Are you disappointed that LeBron James never participated in the Slam Dunk Contest?
Jason Richardson: I was a little bit because if you look back at the history of the Slam Dunk Contest even when I was kid, if you were a high flyer or if you were a superstar, you DID the Dunk Contest, you know? [Michael] Jordan did it. Dr. J did it. Dominique Wilkins did it. Some of the greatest jumpers in the history of the NBA have done it and you want a guy like LeBron to carry on that tradition of superstars doing the Dunk Contest because the Dunk Contest is what carried All-Star Weekend… until now. So it’s kind of disappointing that he never did one but I can understand why he didn’t but, as a fan of the Dunk Contest watching it since you were a kid you would want a guy like LeBron in the Dunk Contest.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Is it possible for LeBron at 41 and in top shape, to try to compete in the Dunk Contest next season?
Jason Richardson: [laughs] In the Dunk Contest? No! [laughing] Because every time you leave the floor, it hurts your body and especially for a guy like LeBron — I think this is his 22nd year and if you add up all the games in the playoffs, he probably played another 5-6 years of basketball which is adding the playoff games he had in the postseason. So, it’s kind of hard for him to have a guy like that go out there and compete in the Slam Dunk Contest, but it’s still amazing what he’s doing at 41, 42 years old still playing in the NBA at a high level.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: What were your fondest memories of the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest?
Jason Richardson: Man! It was everything for me because as a kid that’s all I watched. That’s all I wanted to do when I was a kid. I didn’t know that you had to be in the NBA to be in the Slam Dunk Contest! [laughs] That’s how much the Slam Dunk Contest meant to me. So, when I got the chance to do it myself, it was EVERYTHING I thought it was going to be, you know? Everybody’s hyped about it; everybody wants to see of the same dunks… you’re back there with colleagues and everybody’s coming up with a game plan trying to win the Dunk Contest so, it really wasn’t anything surprising to me because it was everything that I dreamed of and could of imagined as a kid.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: I remember NBA Live 2005 implementing the Slam Dunk Contest feature in the game. Back then, had you ever played as yourself in that game?
Jason Richardson: [laughs] You know what? I’m a social gamer! [laughs] Like, if some friends want to hop on the game, I might hop on there. I just don’t sit there and play. But the crazy part about that — that Dunk Contest added to the game, I actually did all the choreographics for that. They put the balls on me, they did all my movement and tracking and all that stuff and that’s what ended up in the game. So it was actually pretty cool to be a part of the game but also actually being that person that they used to put in the graphics and all the animation and stuff.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: When we chatted last year, you noted how much Anthony Edwards resembles your era of NBA basketball. How much more has that been evident after how he played this past season?
Jason Richardson: Oh it’s very evident. Just seeing the way he plays, the way he attacks the rim it’s just not that many guys like that have that crazy elite athleticism anymore, you know? You don’t see many tip-dunks going on in games anymore; you don’t see guys just taking off and trying to go down the lane and dunk on somebody; so it’s almost an anomaly where you see guys that do that type of things like what Ant Edwards do and Ja Morant do because 20 years ago, that was half the league! But now those guys are really becoming small numbers because guys are more skilled, guys are working on different things; guys are relying on a lot more shooting than their athleticism to score.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: If you’re Anthony Edwards, what parts of your game would you be working on this summer?
Jason Richardson: If I’m Anthony Edwards? I mean, I think for him… I don’t see many weaknesses in his game but just knowing the type of player he is and how he will be scouted on in the scouting reports, all summer long we’re working 2 or 3 guys guarding him. All summer long! So when there’s one guy guarding you, you’re completely dominating ‘em. But, I think a lot of people understand that he’s the key to that team; if he’s successful he’s really hard to stop so I would just make my training so tough and so exhausting of just having 3 people guarding me and constantly pushing me constantly hitting me — if it’s punching bags, if it’s boxing gloves whatever it is but, it’s constant people wearing on me to elevate his game, I think it’s almost in a sense not quite as much but when Jordan met with the Pistons. How Jordan came back that next year, he was just so physical and in shape and he was used to people pushing and bumping him, and knocking him on the ground that it didn’t bother him. And I think if Anthony Edwards should have that type of mentality going into the summer, next year is gonna be SCARY for everybody.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: At what point in your career did you realize that you were the guy that everyone was checking for on the scouting reports?
Jason Richardson: It might have been my 4th or 5th year. Every year I was averaging my points but I think it had to be my 5th year I think I averaged 23. But I was the man on the team, the scouting reports were for me if I get the ball on the wing, they trap you on pick and rolls, they’re not letting you iso anymore… you realize you became the scouting report and so, you have to prepare a little differently every game because now you’re the focus of the defense now. Now it’s how do they stop you. It’s a good feeling but also it’s a challenging feeling because you still have to figure out a way to score and be successful still.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: How much did you feel that people they felt counted you and your teammates out during the 2006-07 “We Believe” Golden State Warriors team run in the NBA Playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks?
Jason Richardson: Aw man! We felt EVERY bit of that! Every bit of that, man! We had an UNBELIEVABLE fan base out there in Oakland. They were tired of losing; it was 13, 14 years without them going to the playoffs and they just had this energy about us that just… almost propelled us going into the playoffs, you know — making the playoffs first of all. And so, we understood that people counted us out. Everybody had something against them, you know? They were saying that Baron [Davis] was “injury prone”; Stack Jack (aka Stephen Jackson) was coming off the situation in Detroit with the ‘Malice in the Palace’; they had me as a good player that’s getting numbers on a bad team… There were just so many things that we had that we wanted to prove people wrong and I think we put all of that aside and we played for each other and the only thing that we wanted to do was like, Hey we gonna let you know that one: We’re a good team and we’re good players…
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: How would that ‘06-’07 “We Believe” Warriors team fare in today’s NBA?
Jason Richardson: [smiling] I think that we’d be right there with some of the top teams in the NBA because we truly played small ball. We played four guards and then we played Andris Biedriņš sometimes at the five; sometimes it was Al Harrington at the five so, I think that we would fare very well in this era of basketball because we were runnin’ and gunnin’, shooting a lot of 3’s, we switched EVERYTHING on defense and we just had matchup nightmares around the court — we had Baron, myself, Stephen Jackson, Monta Ellis, Matt Barnes, Al Harrington… there were just so many different matchups that we could go with and we played so fast. I think that we would do really well in this era AND be one the top teams.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: What’s it like seeing your son, Jase playing at Michigan State under your former coach, Tom Izzo? Does it feel like things have come full circle for you?
Jason Richardson: It was crazy full circle to see it, you know? One, the first thing to see is that Coach Izzo is still there after 30 years. Just seeing him in that uniform in a place that I played at my alma mater; some of the sets that Coach Izzo still runs, you seeing that and laughing at that, laughing at Coach Izzo yelling at them… it’s just an amazing experience to see your son following in your footsteps.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: With your son heading to the draft next week, how did you keep him grounded and focused on college basketball throughout the process?
Jason Richardson: For him, he’s just a basketball purist where he watches a lot of basketball. He watched current games, he goes back and watches games from the 70’s-80’s; he go back and watch my era of basketball so, he’s a basketball purist and he understands it because he has such a high IQ so he really just focuses on what’s at task for him and that’s taking it one step at a time. For him, it’s always about playing the game he loves and it’s almost a pure thing when you watch him play because he plays with so much energy and he plays with so much pride and it’s those things that remind you as a kid when you watch him play like, Man! He really enjoys what he does! And it brings you back to the times where you were a kid and loved how much you loved the game and you would just play just for the pure love of it. So it’s actually a joy for me to see him just to have that love, that pureness for basketball and nothing else motivated him to do it but just to play it.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Does LeBron James at this stage of his career with the Lakers remind you of Michael Jordan during his time with the Washington Wizards?
Jason Richardson: You know what? It’s pretty hard to say, you know? Because I think both of them are ultra competitive, they wanna win. I think LeBron right now, has done it for a longer period of time where it was constantly going, going and going where MJ took those couple of years off, came back and took another couple of years and came back so I think it was a lot tougher for MJ to do it because he took time off, but I think for both of them it was incredibly amazing to see what they do at that age they’re doing it at and it’s special that we’re — I think that we’re not really grasping at what LeBron is doing at his age and it’s just an amazing thing that he’s playing at a high level right now.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Do you think social media has spoiled us with so much access to greatness that we’ve started to take LeBron James for granted?
Jason Richardson: In a sense, I think so. I think so just with the amount of attention from the social media constantly with the games that’s constantly being on TV every night. When I was growing up watching Mike and Larry and Magic when they were towards their ends with Isiah Thomas and Dominique Wilkins, the only time you got to watch a game was on Saturday or Sunday. But now with games being on TV constantly, now we’re getting to see players working out in the summertime, we’re seeing what they’re doing in the summertime, they’re doing the Summer League… It’s just a constant of media input on players throughout the year that you do take some of the greatness for granted because you’re constantly getting and seeing and being constantly told how great they are instead of actually just witnessing with our own eyes. So it’s almost too much attention, that’s the part where social media is the curse of it — it’s too much of it and it will turn you away from it so I think in a sense that we’re a little like, Okay. We’re tired of hearing LeBron LeBron LeBron LeBron! We know how great he is… Well you don’t really know how great he is because he’s actually doing this at a high level for 23 years and it’s amazing but it’s so much of it that I think we are taking it for granted.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: What’s your take on the Orlando Magic’s play over the last couple of years?”
Jason Richardson: The Orlando Magic? The last couple of years just watching them, it’s just amazing to see them starting to come together and mature as younger guys starting to get more developed and become better. I always thought Paolo Banchero was a star and to see him grow into that player is just amazing, you know? Just seeing the young guys develop and seeing Anthony Black becoming a better shooter; seeing some of the bigger guys starting to become NBA vets and so it’s fun seeing the transition of these young teams as they become better and they become playoff teams and how much they matured from — even from some of these guys I watched in high school up to now, it’s just good to watch and see.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: What’s your take on the Golden State Warriors now, with Stephen Curry getting older but he and Draymond Green still holding things down in the Bay?
Jason Richardson: It’s amazing! Back then maybe 10 or 15 years ago when guys turned 30, hit 32 or 33 or 34 everybody would say that they were past their prime and now we’re seeing guys like LeBron and you’re seeing KD at 36, you’re seeing Steph and Draymond at 36 or 35 still playing at a high level and they’re STILL a threat no matter how good the other team is, Golden State is still a threat because they have winner championship caliber in their DNA in their blood. So, seeing those guys continue to perform at a high level while still competing trying to get playoff spots is just amazing to see in those guys to still be able to do things that they do.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: What team would you like to see Kevin Durant go to?
Jason Richardson: [laughing] Now you know what? It’s so many teams that KD could go to and he could change the whole thing about it, you know? It would be very interesting with San Antonio — just having Wemby there and himself. I don’t know what they would have to give up to get a guy like KD but he could go to Houston and he could be a big part of the big hole that they’re missing, you know? I think Jalen Green is going to be an amazing player, I just think he needs some guidance on how to be that go-to player. This guy’s only still what… 4 or 5 years just in the league now but to have someone like Kevin Durant there to show him the way and almost teach him how to be that clutch go-to player at the end of the games, that could be beneficial for a guy like Jalen Green. So, it’s a lot of teams that he could go to. He could help all the teams, you know? The NBA has become so diverse with talent that it’s gonna be hard to say that he can go to any team and win a championship, but I think if he goes to any of these teams, he’ll be a threat to help that team get there.
Brandon “Scoop B: Robinson: Who reminds him of you in the league currently?
Jason Richardson: [smiling] Ooooh man! You know what? It’s tough because I was so different and then these guys that are in the league now are so skilled. It’s so hard because I could say look at a guy like Jalen Green and he was athletic like me — superfreak, jump out the gym, rebounds, plays hard but he’s so much more developed than me. He can shoot the ball. He can handle the ball, he’s more laterally quicker than me so, it’s kinda hard to compare myself because I was a little more one dimensional than what these guys are. They can do a lot more things differently than what I could do but, there were a lot of things that I could do differently because I just played so hard. So it’s kinda hard to compare someone with me because it’s different from what’s in the NBA right now.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Do you think people rely on the comparison game too much — and is it a lazy way to analyze players and eras?
Jason Richardson: I think it is. I think we do a little too much of the comparison way too much because again, it goes back to the social media and the attention thing, you know? We’re so much bombarded with on How great this person is and how this and that, and then you go back to the fact that they don’t play hard or they don’t play this way and it’s a little bit easier and the game’s a little bit softer… So it’s hard to compare generations, you know? Every generation has their time. We’re in a time right now where typically an NBA player is 6’7”, 6′ 8” and can play multiple positions, shoot the ball, can put the ball on the floor… pretty much Paul George. And if that’s the NBA player you want, it’s Paul George. 10-15 years ago, my era was 2-guards like Kobe’s, Tracy McGrady’s, Ginobili, Ray Allen and big guys like Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki. And it’s just hard because eras change, the style of basketball changed — now it’s more guard-dependent; back then it was more around the centers and the power forwards and you had your 2-guards that were scorers so, it’s to compare the generations and I’m sure that the generation before that was hard to compare us through the 80’s. So it’s hard to do and I think we do it way too much and I think we just allow every generation to be great and enjoy it.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Do you think we’ll ever see a traditional, dominant center again like Wilt Chamberlain or Shaquille O’Neal?
Jason Richardson: No, I don’t think that it’s going to ever happen. Just because that the game has evolved so much and back then being multifaceted just helped you become more dangerous on the offensive end and on the defensive end — you could guard multiple positions. If you’re 6’10” , 6’11”, 6′ 11” or 7’1” could dribble and pass the ball; I think that those eras of traditionally guys around for certain things — my era, I think that we had guys that were around just to play defense. Their job was solely to come in and guard the best player on the other team. They couldn’t really shoot the ball, but they played defense. We had guys that were just scorers. They couldn’t do anything else, but score. We had guys that were just post players. I think with the evolution of basketball, and we’re teaching the 7-footers, Hey! Let’s learn how to dribble the ball! Let’s learn how to shoot 3’s… Maybe in a couple of years he might be one of the greatest centers ever in [Nikola] Jokić, you know? Just by the way he plays; he dribbles, he passes, he can score the basket. So, I don’t we’re ever going back to you’re just a position. I think it’s going to continue to be positionless basketball but I think we’re going to get back to the era of Hey! We need high IQ guys in here… guys that understand how to play basketball, not just going in there and jacking shots up or just trying to get individual accolades. Can we get guys that understand basketball and help us win games? I think that that’s the era we’re going to get back to eventually.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Who are some of the high IQ players you played with or went up against during your career?
Jason Richardson: Smart guys like Andre Iguodala that you bring on your team and they understand what their roles are and what they need to do. They’re never gonna put you in a bad situation, they’re never gonna force shots, they’re never gonna be out there and giving up points on defense… They’re going to be pieces to help you win championships. And you’re going to have your star players. Your star players are always going to be your star players but now they’re realizing, Hey, we don’t need 3,4,5 different stars on our team. We need 2-3 stars and we need a whole bunch of guys on the team that understands what their role is. What their job is. And you know, you look at Oklahoma City — they’ve done a great job of that the last five years. That’s why they’re in the NBA Finals. You look at the Indiana Pacers team right now. They’re in the Finals because of those two reasons right there and knowing the league, the league is a copycat league that realizes, Hey. We gotta get guys no matter how big they are, no matter how small they are, whatever it is, do they have the basketball aptitude and IQ to help us win championships.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Dražen Petrović and Toni Kukoč set the gold standard for European players — who do you think will be the next big European star in the next 10 years?
Jason Richardson: That’s a tough one, man! It’s so many good European players that are playing right now. I think you guys said that there was an era where you said you had Petrović and Kukoč that was in the 90’s and then we had a little gap, you know? We had some misfirings because we thought European was the best thing at the time, but the league was just a little more athletic, a little bit more tougher and then all of the sudden we had this big wave of Europeans since 2010 that basically took over the league. So I think you know, Luka is a different type of person and I don’t think he’s going to be the standard because he’s just so good at what he does, but there’s so many guys, man that know how to play the game of basketball and I think that’s all credited to the way they’re developing over in Europe than what they’re doing here. I think over there it’s more emphasis on practicing, playing team ball, moving without the ball, playing defense, having a fundamentally sound skill set. Then here is all we’re looking for is the highlight. We just want the highlights.We want the individual stats. We want all the accolades. We want high school rankings — and that’s why the Europeans are dominating in basketball right now and the league is predominantly getting dominated by Europeans because of the developmental piece we’re missing at the AAU age.
Jason Richardson’s journey through basketball is a testament to growth, resilience and the ever-changing landscape of the sport. From his days dazzling fans with jaw-dropping dunks to now mentoring the next generation while competing in the BIG3, his perspective bridges eras in a way few players can. His reflections remind us that basketball is not just about highlights or stats — it’s about evolution, adapting to new challenges, and embracing the responsibilities that come with legacy.
His insights on social media’s role in shaping public perception highlight a modern reality that every athlete must navigate. The way fans consume and critique moments today can sometimes overshadow pure appreciation for the game’s artistry. Yet, Richardson’s grounded take points to hope: that with respect for tradition and openness to change, competitions like the Dunk Contest can still capture imaginations and inspire future stars.
Family and mentorship clearly remain at the heart of Richardson’s world. Watching his son develop under the guidance of a legendary coach is a powerful example of the cyclical nature of sports and life. This connection between generations — both on the court and off — illustrates how basketball is as much about relationships and values as it is about competition.
Looking at the current NBA landscape through his eyes offers a nuanced view of the game’s direction. From the durability of veterans like LeBron James to the rise of dynamic young players who blend old-school grit with modern skill sets, Richardson’s perspective underscores that basketball’s future will be shaped by both innovation and respect for its roots. He challenges the lazy habit of constant comparisons, reminding fans and analysts alike to appreciate players for their unique contributions.
In the end, Jason Richardson’s story is more than that of a former dunk contest champion — it’s the story of a lifelong student of the game, eager to keep learning, teaching, and competing. His voice adds depth to the ongoing conversation about basketball’s past, present, and future, inviting fans to look beyond the surface and celebrate the sport’s rich, evolving narrative.
