Jazlyn Richardson was a sixth grader at Sedway Middle School when her father, Chris Richardson—a 28-year-old former UNLV basketball star and member of the touring Harlem Globetrotters—died unexpectedly in his sleep at a Japanese hotel.
Some of her earliest memories revolve around attending his games, doing her homework in the basketball gym, or the pride she felt when he’d visit her at school for parent’s day. And after a long tour, he’d always surprise her at the front door and take her out to spend the whole day together.
“He really was just the best dad on the planet,” she says. “I really don’t think I would be where I am today without him.”
Jazlyn Richardson and her father, Chris Richardson
That sentiment is far from superfluous. Now 28 herself, Richardson has in many ways been living both of their dreams, ever since the Globetrotters reached out to see if she’d like to become the official team DJ in 2023. After a few years of local gigs as DJ Jazlyn Rich, the offer cemented her decision to pursue music full-time.
“I immediately called my mom, and she was like, you have to do it,” she says. “It felt like such an alignment, because DJing was still just a hobby and never my first career choice. For me to now experience everything my dad used to do, it’s kind of like once he left this world, my world turned into his.”
Now in her fourth tour—and the Globetrotters’ 100th season—Richardson will be on the road through late April, pumping up the crowd during pre-game warmups and punctuating their on-court feats in an anniversary campaign that celebrates much more than just the team’s iconic fusion of athleticism and entertainment.
The early Globetrotters paved the way in the segregation era for nearly a quarter-century before alumni Nathaniel “Sweetwater” Clifton became the first Black player to sign an NBA contract in 1950. All-time great Wilt Chamberlain also toured with the team for a season ahead of his NBA debut in 1959.
Richardson relishes the chance to blend her father’s contributions to that legacy with her own journey behind the turntables. In the process, she frequently discovers new “Easter eggs” that remind her of him.
“They have a play named after him called C-Rich, which is where I got my DJ name from. And whenever they call it out, I play an instrumental of one of his favorite songs, ‘Big Pimpin’’ by Jay Z,” she says. “They also recently showed a clip of them doing ball handling tricks from the year he died, and you can see my dad’s initials stitched on the jerseys.
Harlem Globetrotters
“The fact that I still find new hidden gems about him when he’s not here is part of what makes what I’m doing so special. It truly feels like it was God’s plan for me to be here.”
The western branch of the Globetrotter tour stops in Henderson at Lee’s Family Forum on February 26, but Richardson won’t be back home yet—she’ll be in Pennsylvania with the other touring team.
But her music career is also heating up in Las Vegas. In 2022, she performed at an afterparty hosted by Usher—an artist she and her father both revered. And she’s planning an upcoming regional tour for her ongoing pop and hip-hop party series, Sincerely Nostalgia.
No matter what Richardson’s future holds, her father’s spirit will continue to live on through her passion and purpose.
“I just can’t make this up. It really is a story that has already been written for me,” she says. “My life could have taken a completely different turn once my dad passed away, but I want people to know that it does get better. The most important thing is to just stay true to yourself, continue to remain inspired and always remember to cherish the people around you.”
HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS 100 YEAR TOUR February 26, 6 p.m., $39-$343. Lee’s Family Forum, axs.com.
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