What happened to 90s NBA star Richard Dumas? A career derailed by substance use

The Phoenix Suns thought they had a steal with Richard Dumas, who they selected late in the 1991 NBA Draft. His talent wasn’t in question, and that ability was displayed at the sport’s highest level in the 1993 NBA Finals. Unfortunately, Dumas had some addiction issues off the floor that short-circuited a promising NBA career. All statistics are from Basketball Reference.

Richard Dumas was born on May 19, 1969 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, although his family moved early and often during his childhood. His father, Rich Dumas, was a professional basketball player in the ABA.

While the potential for young Richard in the world of athletics was obvious, he had to navigate around some possible hurdles.

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Dumas claims that he started to smoke marijuana at age 13, and was introduced to crack cocaine by a peer in high school. Before long, Dumas was bouncing back and forth between the two drugs at regular intervals, according to the Arizona Republic.

As this was taking place, he grew nine inches during high school, which elevated the possibility of him having a legitimate basketball career.

Dumas was an instant force on the court for the Oklahoma State basketball program, as he averaged over 17 points per game as a freshman. Unfortunately, he wasn’t doing so well in the classroom, and was ruled academically ineligible as a junior.

In addition to his struggles in school, Dumas was also a persistent partier and was getting in trouble around campus, according to the Arizona Republic.

It was a difficult time in Dumas’ life, because his ability to be a tantalizing NBA prospect were legitimate, but so were his personal troubles. He decided to play professional basketball in Israel to keep his game sharp and give evaluators something to look at back home. Dumas was hopeful that he didn’t squander his chance to play in the NBA.

Phoenix took a flier on Dumas in the 1991 NBA Draft, but they would have to wait to see him in action, as the league suspended him for the entire 1991-1992 season after he tested positive for crack cocaine.

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This was a disappointing start to his NBA tenure, as the very thing that scared Dumas away from teams had reared its ugly head right away.

Many weren’t sure what to expect from Dumas heading into the 1992-1993 season, but his potential was apparent during a campaign where the Phoenix Suns made it all the way to the NBA Finals. Dumas scored nearly 16 points per game that year, and was routinely called upon to guard Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in that title series.

Dumas had a basketball experience that most people could only dream of in 1993, but that was as good as it got for him. The league suspended him again in 1993-1994, and he was a shell of himself when he returned to the Suns in 1995.

His final season in the league came with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1995-1996, but his stock had plummeted by then.

Having been suspended twice by the league, Dumas began to be tested much more frequently than other players, and admitted to feeling trapped. He felt that he needed a six-pack of beer and cocaine to help him get through life, and the NBA wouldn’t allow for it, as he told the Arizona Republic in a retrospective feature. He continued to play basketball overseas in leagues that had much more relaxed substance policies.

Dumas tried to get his life on track after his playing days were over, but had difficulty maintaining odd jobs because of his temper. He found himself in more trouble in 2012 after taking around $800 worth of goods from an exchange store, as reported by ESPN.

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Dumas would tell AZ Central that he was one of the “poorest” NBA players ever, since most of his earnings went to his ex-wife and child support.