Gathers Wasn’t Afraid, Pooh Richardson Says

As they had done many times, childhood friends Pooh Richardson and Hank Gathers talked on the phone a few days ago. The subject, of course, was basketball. They laughed and exchanged assorted items about friends.

But Richardson, who grew up with Gathers in Philadelphia, made it a point to ask about Gathers’ health, especially after the collapse of the Loyola Marymount star earlier this season.

After Richardson, rookie point guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves, learned of Gathers’ death Sunday night, he recounted his conversation. He said Gathers gave no indication that he was feeling ill.

“I just talked to him two days ago,” said Richardson, Sunday night after a game against the Lakers. “He seemed fine. He said the medication he was taking (for his heart condition) made him feel tired and drowsy. He didn’t like taking it.

“But he said he felt fine. He said that as time went on, he was feeling OK. From what I know, they may have changed the medication a little. I don’t know for sure. When I talked to him, he said he felt great. He said he wanted to be MVP of the (West Coast Conference) tournament.”

Richardson said he spoke to Gathers about his earlier fainting spell and said Gathers showed no fear about his condition.

“He wasn’t scared,” Richardson said of Gathers. “He’s not scared of anything. That’s one thing about him. You can’t scare him. I didn’t even know if he (Gathers) knew exactly what caused it.”

Richardson said did not know of Gathers’ death until halftime of Sunday night’s game. Minnesota Coach Bill Musselman chose not to tell Richardson before the game, but Richardson found out at halftime.

Obviously affected by the news, Richardson said he could not concentrate in the second half. Richardson scored seven points and had five assists in the first half, but scored just three points and had one assist in the second half.

“Basically, I went out there and played, but I really wasn’t concentrating on the game,” Richardson said. “I was thinking about (Gathers) every time down the court. I was out of it out there.”

Laker players and team personnel who knew Gather also reacted strongly.

Mitch Kupchak, the Lakers’ assistant general manager, attended Sunday night’s game between Loyola Marymount and University of Portland and witnessed Gathers’ heart attack.

“It looked like he was setting up in the post, then he just fell,” Kupchak said.

Kupchak, who helps the Lakers scout college players, said Gathers was a likely first-round draft pick.

“The guy was such an aggressive and hard-working player that there was no doubt he could play in the NBA,” Kupchak said. “You can’t base how high he would’ve gone (in the draft). A lot of the (scouting) evaluation happens at this time of the season, when you look at the tournaments and then All-Star games. There was some question about his shooting, but he was a player.”

The Lakers practice at Loyola Marymount, and Gathers occasionally watched. Gathers befriended Magic Johnson and Byron Scott, among other Lakers.

“It’s a tragedy,” Laker Coach Pat Riley said. “We saw him every day at practice. He’d be there. They (Laker players) were very distracted by it once they found out at halftime. It had a big impact.”

Johnson said he played basketball with Gathers during the summer.

“I’ve known Hank and Bo (Kimble) and talked to them just the other day,” Johnson said. “I personally played with (Gathers). He could play. Everybody on our team knew him and was affected by him.”

Laker players made it a point to seek and comfort Richardson after the game in the visiting locker room.

“I’ll probably stay (in Los Angeles) a couple more days and then get back to playing,” Richardson said, who had left Gathers’ name on the pass list for Sunday night’s game against the Lakers.