From Courtside to Club Nights: Josh Richardson on 2AM Chronicles
- Written by Julianne Elise Beffa
NBA star by day, vibe curator by night…
It’s 2AM in Miami, and the bass is thumping. Neon lights slice through the smoke, bodies move in rhythm, and behind the DJ booth, a familiar face flashes a grin as he drops a beat that sends the crowd into a frenzy. No, it’s not just another nightlife headliner—it’s Josh Richardson. Yes, that Josh Richardson. NBA star. Lockdown defender. Now, late-night maestro.
Welcome to the world of duality, where hardwood hustle meets nightclub heat. And in the middle of it all is Richardson, effortlessly blending two worlds that rarely coexist: pro sports and party soundtracks. Most know Josh as the versatile, defense-first NBA guard who’s locked down superstars across the league. But what many don’t know is that Josh has been quietly building a second identity—as a DJ, music curator, and student of sound.
From solo sessions in his living room to back-to-back sets with professional DJs in Miami, Josh’s journey into music is less about celebrity and more about soul. Now, he’s fusing those two worlds—competitive athlete and creative artist—to deliver something that feels uniquely his. The rest of the story? Well, it reads like the bass drop at 2AM: unexpected, electric, and just getting started.
Loop Mag sat down with Josh to learn all about his DJ career, whether he prefers Drake or Kendrick, and what he plays in NBA locker rooms. If you ever find yourself wondering what an NBA player-turned-DJ does at 2 a.m., Josh Richardson has the answer queued up.
“I’m probably sitting in my gamer’s chair, little snack, playing FIFA, probably watching a show, any of those, or could be all of the above,” he laughs. It’s the kind of laid-back, snack-fueled, controller-in-hand scene that feels so relatable—until you remember he’s also DJing festivals and guarding NBA All-Stars by day.
Born in Oklahoma City and now a certified globe-trotter thanks to his NBA career, Josh’s path to the DJ booth wasn’t exactly conventional. “I went to college at the University of Tennessee. I got my degree. I’m smart,” he jokes. And smart he is. He made his way from the Tennessee hardwood to the bright lights of Miami at just 21, and somewhere along the way, decided to pick up DJing as more than just a hobby. It all started around age 23, during his second NBA season. “I had a lot of free time,” he recalls. “I went to watch a few of my friends do it, and I got inspired, so I figured I’d use my free time that way and teach myself.” Turns out, being the locker room aux cord guy was just the beginning.
The vibe in the locker room? Richardson ran it. “This past year, I was doing a lot of Kendrick’s ‘GNX’ album. I play a lot of Young Dolph, Key Glock, and just kind of aggressive stuff to get guys going and ready for the game,” he says. But on solo drives? “Beach House or Crumb. I don’t think that’s gonna have much effect in a locker room,” he laughs. Yes, Josh Richardson is a Beach House superfan. “One of my favorite groups is a group called Beach House, very calm, slow, indie alternative music,” he says. He’s seen them live four times in four different cities—Fort Lauderdale, Chattanooga, and Austin included. So, what song would he pick to sum up his life? Without missing a beat: “‘Reasons’ by Earth, Wind & Fire.”
Richardson sees clear parallels between music and basketball. “If you look back through all the generations and times… there’s a lot of similarities,” he explains. He references Allen Iverson and the early 2000s hip-hop era as proof that the connection runs deep. “A lot of basketball players want to be musicians, and a lot of musicians want to be basketball players and athletes.” Speaking of musicians, when asked about his dream collaborators, Josh doesn’t hold back: “Kaytranada is my favorite DJ, so I love everything that he puts out. Pharrell Williams is probably my favorite person ever… And then my third would be Donald Glover, because I just think he’s super talented.” He dreams of someday playing Glastonbury or Coachella, but when it comes down to it, he loves the energy of a good club gig. “I can talk on the mic. I can move around. The energy is on me.”
Josh is self-taught and proud of it. “It was a slow process. Very frustrating at the beginning, but I’m glad I did it that way, because I feel like I have my own style of DJing.” He spends hours prepping for each set. “I get on Serato… I name a crate after what the set is, and then I’ll make sub-crates of genres.” But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. He tells the story of his first real gig: “I get on. First of all, my friend was going before me, and the crowd was hype. I’m like, alright, I’m about to get on, they’re gonna go crazy. No. I cleared the dance floor,” he laughs. “It was not good. After that, I was like, I need to get to work. I’m trash.” That humbling moment turned into fuel. Fast forward to a birthday bash for teammate Tyler Herro at Komodo in Miami, and Richardson had the whole place vibing for two and a half hours. “Jimmy [Butler] tried to get me to play country music. I had to respectfully decline. So, yeah, sorry, bro.”
His take on the Kendrick vs. Drake beef? “It was great for rap, was great for music, because we got Kendrick rapping again, which everybody loves.” Richardson enjoys both artists but admits Kendrick gets the edge. These days, he’s keeping an eye on other NBA players stepping behind the decks. “Dyson Daniels… I’m proud of you for that, bro, stepping out,” he says encouragingly.
So what’s next for Josh Richardson, the basketball-DJ hybrid? Maybe Glastonbury, maybe a Pharrell collab, maybe another Beach House show in a new city. Wherever the beat takes him, you can bet it’s going to be something special—snack in hand, FIFA paused, and a playlist queued up to perfection.
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