Ex-NBA Champion's Father Killed in Drive-By Shooting - Report
The father of NBA player Richard Jefferson was killed in an apparent drive-by shooting in Compton, California, on Wednesday.
Jefferson’s father, Richard Jefferson Sr., 65, was fatally shot just before 7 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, reported the Los Angeles Times.
Father of NBA player Richard Jefferson killed in Compton drive-by shooting https://t.co/hZ8LkXChPa
— L.A. Times: L.A. Now (@LANow) September 21, 2018
The elder Jefferson, who lived in Inglewood, was standing on the corner of West Peach Street and Paulsen Avenue in front of a liquor store with two other men when he was shot, according to TMZ.
One person in a dark-colored car filled with several men opened fire and shot Jefferson several times in the torso, the Times reported, citing the LA County Sheriff’s Department.
Jefferson was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police did not release any details on any possible motives or suspects as the case remains under investigation.
His son has had a long and successful NBA career. The New Jersey Nets selected him with the 13th overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft.
Jefferson, 38, has a career scoring average of 15.6 points per game. His best seasons were 2007-2008, his last year with the Nets, when he averaged 20.9 points per game; and 2008-2009, his first and only year with Milkwaukee Bucks, when he averaged 19.7 per game.
Jefferson also played with the Spurs, Warriors, Jazz, Mavericks, Cavaliers and Nuggets.
In 2015-16 he won a ring when Cleveland came back from a 3-1 series deficit to beat the Golden State Warriors in seven games. Jefferson played a key role in that series off the bench and in a spot starting role with his defense and energy.
Last year, Jefferson signed a one-year contract with the Nuggets, appearing in 20 games and averaging 6.6 points per game. He is currently a free agent.
Richard Jefferson on ESPN today on his future: "I won a championship. It’s about me being in an opportunity to help young players, to mentor a young player…I’ve won a championship. I don’t need to just go chase one right now. You like that resume drop?” pic.twitter.com/PKuiWHDc8J
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) July 20, 2018
While Jefferson still hopes to land with a team and play another season, he is also being courted by broadcast networks. According to a report last week from the New York Post, ESPN, the YES Network, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Brooklyn Nets all have expressed interest in bringing him on board to do analysis this season.
Last year he joined the broadcast team for the Cavaliers during the 2018 playoff run.
“I’m a basketball player until I am not a basketball player,” Jefferson told the Post’s Andrew Marchand last week. “My goal is to play basketball this season.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with Jefferson and his family.
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