Sixers' Richardson amazed he's return to the court

MIAMI - Jason Richardson is amazed that he's back on the floor with the 76ers.

"Two major surgeries. A foot fracture," he said. "I didn't think I was going to play basketball ever again."

Yet, the 34-year-old is doing just that.

Richardson returned to the court Friday for the first time in more than two years after suffering a cartilage tear the size of a quarter on the right side of his left kneecap in January 2013. And he was handed his old spot, as the starting shooting guard.

The 6-foot-6, 225-pounder finished with seven points and seven rebounds in 18 minutes during a 106-95 loss to the Indiana Pacers at Wells Fargo Center. In his second game - another start - Richardson had seven points and five rebounds in 24 minutes in Sunday's 103-98 setback to the Orlando Magic at Amway Center.

Since he won't play on back-to-back nights, the 14th-year veteran sat out Monday night's game against the Miami Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena.

"It's a work in progress [getting in] basketball shape," Richardson said of his first two performances. "My conditioning is great. It's just getting my timing on my shots, my movement and stuff like that. But I think it's getting very good every game."

But just getting on the court is kind of mind-boggling.

Richardson had DeNovo NT Graft surgery to implant cartilage into the hole in his kneecap in February 2013. Then in March 2014, he underwent microfracture surgery on the same knee. Then he suffered a stress fracture in his right foot four months ago while rehabilitating.

Sixers coach Brett Brown respects how Richardson didn't give up and worked vigorously to play again.

"For him to find whatever motivation he had to work as hard as he did to redeliver himself to the NBA stage is beyond amazing to me," Brown said.

But most folks in his position would have easily accepted not playing.

Having made around $98 million through his career, Richardson doesn't need the money.

"I always been that guy who loved the game," said Richardson, who's in the final year of his contract. "I don't look at it as a job or paycheck. I just love basketball."

The Michigan native would have tried to get healthy enough to play at the YMCA if unable to play in the NBA again.

"There's always been that passion for the sport that made me want to work and come back here and just play," he said.

"To be fulfilled and to walk out on my terms instead of being injured and hobbling out - that's just something that's just amazing right now."