One day after Micheal Ray Richardson was hired to coach the CBA’s Oklahoma City franchise, the Knicks have decided to retain their former star guard in a community-relations role, The Post has learned.
Richardson, who made remarks in March construed by some as anti-Semitic, had worked for the Knicks as a
goodwill ambassador the past two years, appearing at charity events and the team’s summer kids camps. According
to his lawyer, the Knicks had avoided his calls the past several weeks until informing him last night that he would remain in his position. Richardson was fired by the Albany Patroons after making the remarks last March.
Earlier in the day, Richardson’s lawyer, John Aretakis, said, “I actually understand the Knicks’ opinion, but he’s
been unfairly branded as an anti-Semite. Commissioner David Stern reached out to Micheal Ray and said he’s
not an anti-Semite. But on the other hand, actions speaks louder and the Knicks looked like they were severing their ties.”
Garden President Steve Mills is a close associate of Stern, and that may have influenced last night’s decision.
Richardson is suing an Albany newspaper for calling him an anti-Semite. When he played in Israel, Richardson married a Jewish woman and has a 20-year-old daughter being raised Jewish. In March, Richardson said he had “bigtime Jewish lawyers . . . They’re real crafty. Listen, they are hated all over the world, so they’ve got to be
crafty.”