Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Ex-Rebels star Richardson gets to trot the globe

During his first year as a Harlem Globetrotter, Chris Richardson met lord mayors in Scotland, and he signed autographs for adoring fans in Belgium, England and Ireland.

"Seeing the world has been unbelievable," said Richardson, a former UNLV forward. "Really, I had no idea the Globetrotters are as well-known as they are. It's been an eye-opener for me."

So, too, will be returning to Las Vegas, his adopted hometown where his wife, Davina, and 6-year-old daughter, Jazlyn, live year-round.

The Trotters play the New York Nationals, who replaced the Washington Generals a few years ago as the unwitting second bananas to the Globies, at the Orleans Arena on Wednesday night.

"I've been waiting for this since last year, when I found out that Las Vegas would be on the tour," said Richardson, a native of Corpus Christi, Texas. "There's so much stuff to do in Vegas, and so many people will be coming out for this game. I'm very excited to be coming back."

Known as a high-wire dunker during a four-year Rebels career that ended in 2002, Richardson admitted that friends should not look for him to be tossing pails filled with confetti, instead of water, at the Orleans audience.

"I don't throw the 'water,' but I'm an intricate part of it," he said. "I help bring it out and set it up, then someone else tosses it."

Expect Richardson, 23, to throw down an array of dunks, and he plays significant roles in a center-court "magic circle" bit and a football skit.

His biggest fan might be his smallest -- Jazlyn. Last year, Richardson made an appearance at his daughter's kindergarten class and wowed the tykes with his ball-handling tricks and autographed team pictures.

"I think she's more excited," he said, "than I am."

That might be a stretch, since Richardson admitted to having no idea how much fun it would be to get paid to be one of the few current goodwill ambassadors on the globe's most popular basketball team.

A fantasy career that he only dared to dream about as a youngster came to fruition after Globies scout Chad Groth watched Richardson perform a variety of dunks at the 2002 Final Four festivities in Atlanta.

Then another Trotters scout saw him play in the Summer Pro League in Long Beach, Calif., and an offer was extended to Richardson to attend a training camp at the team's Phoenix headquarters.

Mannie Jackson, a former Globetrotter who bought the famous franchise in 1993 and rejuvenated its worldwide appeal with his business savvy, personally invited Richardson to join the Trotters.

"At first, it was kind of a nervous meeting," Richardson said. "With someone of that stature, being the man he is, and what he's done for the Globetrotters and in the business community, it was kind of intimidating.

"But once you had that first meeting, you calm down and talk more easily. At first, I was very uptight and uneasy, but I warmed up to him."

And vice versa. Jackson, 64, renewed Richardson's year-long contract in October. Richardson's first game as a Trotter was on Christmas Day, 14 months ago, in Green Bay, Wis. He played in the team's 21,000th victory in 2003.

Richardson figures he's been a part of more than 200 victories, and only two defeats.

The Trotters' roster is split among a "competitive" team, which plays preseason games against Division I teams, and the "show" team. The former involves the Nationals, while the latter includes confetti and the ol'hidden ball trick.

The competitive team is now touring the East Coast, while Richardson's was in Prescott, Ariz., on Monday and is in Flagstaff tonight. Then it's Las Vegas, Long Beach, San Diego, Anaheim and Los Angeles on the same day, Bakersfield and then Fresno.

That's the Monday-to-Monday schedule.

Since the first of the year, Richardson's domestic travel slate has included California, Wisconsin, Washington, Oregon, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, New Mexico and Arizona. Tomorrow, he adds Nevada.

"Playing every day, you have to have your mind set and your body right," he said.

"You can't go out there and not have energy and focus ... everyone tries to beat us. If that happens, you probably won't have a job the next day."

Richardson hopes to earn a spot on the competitive Trotters' squad that just might fit Italy into its schedule this summer. Then he will realize a dream when he visits The Leaning Tower of Pisa.

He wants to see that landmark, but the trip would represent much more than the fulfillment of being included in a photograph next to a tilting building in Europe.

"Maybe this summer," Richardson said. "It's real nice to see my dreams come true, like playing with the Globetrotters. Hopefully, this year I'll get to see (the tower), too."

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