This is an accepted version of this page Richard Allen Jefferson Jr. (born June 21, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player who played small forward.

Jefferson played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats, and was selected with the 13th overall pick in the first round by the New Jersey Nets in the 2001 NBA draft.

He later played for the Milwaukee Bucks, San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Denver Nuggets.

He won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016 and a bronze medal as a member of the United States national team in the 2004 Summer Olympics.

[1] He attended Moon Valley High School in West Phoenix, where he was an integral part of the varsity basketball team that won the 4A State Championship in 1998.

[6][7] Jefferson began his career as a substitute small forward for Keith Van Horn and showed great defensive skills and all-around ability.

Jefferson missed the majority of the 2004–05 regular season after rupturing a ligament in his left wrist, an injury he claimed occurred when Detroit Pistons guard Chauncey Billups purposely undercut him on a layup attempt during a game on December 27, 2004.

In August 2007, Jefferson pledged $3.5 million toward the University of Arizona's then-planned basketball and volleyball practice facility, which was eventually named in his honor.

On October 31, in a game against the Chicago Bulls, Jefferson injured his right wrist slightly, thumping his chest following a clutch three-pointer.

[11] On June 23, 2009, Richard Jefferson was traded to the San Antonio Spurs for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, and Fabricio Oberto.

On March 15, 2012, the Golden State Warriors traded the newly acquired Stephen Jackson for Jefferson, along with a conditional first-round pick.

After initially considering retirement following the championship win, Jefferson re-signed with the Cavaliers on July 28, 2016,[20] reportedly on a two-year, $5 million contract.

[22] On October 14, 2017, Jefferson was traded, along with Kay Felder, two future second-round draft picks and cash considerations, to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the rights to Sergiy Gladyr and Dimitrios Agravanis.

[30] During the 2017 season, Jefferson began co-hosting the podcast Road Trippin' alongside former Cavaliers sideline reporter and Lakers host Allie Clifton and teammate and close friend Channing Frye.