Arizona Basketball: Richard Jefferson showing some love for his Wildcats

Former Arizona Wildcat great and NBA Champion, Richard Jefferson, has continued to pay his respects and be a great representative of Wildcat basketball.

Even after 22 years, the former Arizona Wildcat great and NBA Champion, Richard Jefferson, continues to show his love and respect for Arizona Basketball. From playing three years as a Wildcats to 17 seasons in the NBA with multiple teams to being a broadcaster for the NBA and now the Pac-12 and even co-hosting a podcast with former Wildcat Channing Frye, Jefferson still shows Tucson some love.

The three seasons he was a Wildcat he was coached by the legend himself Lute Olson. Jefferson averaged 11.2 points, 5.0 rebound and 2.8 assists per game. His freshman season he earned Pac-12 All-Freshman honors and even helped the Wildcats during the 2000-01 season make it all the way to Final Four, where they lost to Duke in the national championship game.

Over the next 17 seasons in the NBA, he played for 8 different teams, including the Cleveland Cavs, who won the NBA Championship during the 2015-16 season.  What a basketball career he had. Just one of many former Wildcats who have had remarkable careers at the next level.

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Since he stopped playing basketball, he has continued to be part of the game in some fashion, through broadcasting NBA and college games and doing his Road Trippin podcast with Frye. His love for the game is apparent. How can you not love this guy!

But what stands out more than anything is his love and respect he shows Wildcat basketball. In the game against the Oregon State Beavers at home, in which RJ called the game on the Pac-12 network, he paid his respect to Olson, Adia Barnes, talked about the Richard Jefferson Gymnasium he donated towards and what it meant to him to be a Wildcat.

The way he talks about his former school, whether he’s calling a game, or during his podcast or even on social media, similar to coach Barnes, you get the sense of how meaningful it was for both to play in Tucson.

At one point during the OSU game, Jefferson’s co-host, Ted Robbinson mentioned Duke Basketball and RJ’s response was classic, “We don’t mention Duke on any of our broadcasts.”

There is a reason why Richard Jefferson is up on the Ring of Honor inside McKale Center. He will always be one of the greats to have played for Arizona Basketball and we look forward to many more Wildcat games called by RJ on the Pac-12 Network. As always, Bear Down, Arizona!