Growing up Richard Jefferson didn’t have all the brand-name shoes. But looking back he says that was OK.
It was for a reason — so his family could help those who didn’t have any shoes at all. His parents, who served as short-term missionaries to Kenya and Tanzania, saved money at home so they could help people in need.
“You might not have the clothes or the shoes or the things that you wanted, but my parents were doing the best they could and they helped people less fortunate,” he said.
He saw their constant sacrifices. And Jefferson, now a small forward for the Denver Nuggets, says it changed his life for the better.
“I was exposed to it at a very early age. It really opened up an understanding for me about giving,” said Jefferson, who spent most of his life in Phoenix and traveled with his parents to Africa as a young boy.
Their lifestyle also impacted his faith, he said. “My parents were the best examples that I had. They were my biggest influences.”
He said he saw the impact Jesus had on them and as he grew up, his own faith grew stronger.
“I know I wouldn’t be where I am or what I have accomplished without the impact of Him in my life,” he said.
Now completing his 17th season in the NBA, 37-year-old Jefferson credits God for his longevity.
Giving ‘credit where credit is due’
“I have been so fortunate to play in this league for so many years and accomplish the things I have,” he said. “The length of my career and my life have been touched by that and I give all the credit where credit is due.”
After three seasons at the University of Arizona in Tuscan, he was drafted in 2001 in the first round by the Houston Rockets but traded to New Jersey.
“I have been trusting Him and understand it’s not your situation but how you handle your situation and putting my faith in that. I am going to be where I am supposed to be when I am supposed to be there,” he said.
Successful career
A member of the Pac-12 Conference Hall of Fame, Jefferson has been successful everywhere — in high school, college and pros.
His 1998 Moon Valley High School team in West Phoenix won a 4A state championship and his jersey (No. 44) was retired in 2004.
He also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers when they won the championship in 2016.
He has played on eight teams, with his longest tenure in New Jersey (now the Brooklyn Nets) from 2001 to 2008.
He was an integral part of the Nets’ winning Eastern Conference championships in 2002 and 2003. He was runner-up to the Memphis Grizzlies’ Pau Gasol for Rookie of the Year in 2001–2002.
Playing for the U.S.A. National team in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, he won a bronze medal.
Denver guard Jamal Murray said Jefferson fit right in when he was signed by the Nuggets in 2017.
“He is a funny guy, tells jokes and keeps his attitude light while being a team-first guy,” Murray said. “He makes sure everybody is on the right page. He is definitely a leader.”
Jefferson did a “great job” this season putting players in the right position and “giving them a lot of courage,” said Nuggets guard Devin Harris. “Richard is an outspoken guy. He is a respectable guy in the locker room.”
Jefferson said he tries to reflect his faith by the way he lives. He goes to NBA chapel services and reads the Bible. He prays. “I can’t remember a day without it,” he said.
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