A Tale of Potential
The path that Nick Richards has taken to this point has been -to say the least- filled with highs and lows. Coming out of Kingston, Jamaica as a lanky, unpolished 6’11” prospect, Richards was ranked a five-star recruit by ESPN in the class of 2017. At rank 17, he was listed ahead of notable professionals including Trae Young (23) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (35). Towering at nearly seven feet tall with a condor-like 7’5″ wingspan, there was plenty of potential for John Calipari and assistant big-man whisperer Kenny Payne to unlock.
Unfortunately for both the Wildcats (who were mere minutes from a final four in 2019) and Richards, his game was raw and unpolished. He lacked the proper body poise and coordination to excel at the college level. In his first two seasons, Richards never averaged more than five points and four rebounds a night. Coupling that with his lack of defensive knowledge, Richards was never more than a neutral force on the court. There were, however, glimpses into a distant reality in which Richards was a legit monster in the paint; using every inch of that absurd wingspan to swat shots, grab boards, and throw down vicious two-handed dunks.
Take this game against Fort Wayne for example. Richards put up a gaudy 25 point 15 board effort. These moments, however, were few and far between for Kentucky forward.
Potential… Realized?
Kentucky fans across the country are waiting for a reason to doubt Richards in his junior season. His response has been clear and concise: don’t hold your breath. Through seven games, the Wildcats forward is averaging 14 and 8 with above average shooting splits across the board.
That kind of Improvement may lead one to believe that Richards simply became an overnight sensation. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In his own estimation, Richards’ hard work and dedication to his game is “just paying off”.
Confidence in yourself goes a long way, no matter the sport. It’s safe to say that Nick Richards has battled with those issues for the better part of his college career. With the Wildcats poised to make a deep run come March, they’ll need Richards to remain confident in himself now more than ever.
Calipari and the Trees
Coach John Calipari is nothing if not consistent. In each of his most successful years at Kentucky, his Wildcats teams have leaned heavily on transcendent big-men.
Beginning with DeMarcus Cousins in 2011, Calipari would go on to sign and develop all-time great Kentucky players including Anthony Davis, Nerlens Noel, and Karl Anthony-Towns just to name a few.
That leads us to the 2019 college basketball recruiting class. An undoubtedly loaded group filled with potential star bigs from top to bottom. Names such as James Wiseman and Vernon Carey Jr. highlighted the Kentucky recruiting trail over the summer. One by one, star recruits signed with other schools in a shocking twist that not even Calipari was ready for. Not to mention the fact that possibly the greatest graduate transfer in the history of college basketball, Kerry Blackshear Jr., also happened to be a talented big-man who signed with Florida.
Thus we are left with a Kentucky team that lacked a true post presence going into the 2019 season. A team that is coached by a man who loves to dominate games with overwhelming defense and a consistent yet limited motion offense. A team that desperately needs their veteran big man to truly come out of his shell.
Only time will tell if Nick Richards can sustain this level of play through the rest of the Wildcats’ season. If he does, opposing coaches will shudder at the thought of trying to contain a Maxey/Hagans driving attack while Richards looms in the paint, eager to turn a dump-off pass into an emphatic two points.
