While so much attention has been focused on E.J. Montgomery and what the 6'11 Wildcat might do with the next year of his basketball life, Nick Richards announced his return for a rare third season in Lexington as a former five-star prospect.
What kind of impact can fans realistically expect him to make? How much of a load can he be expected to shoulder? And can he turn the corner, silence the doubters and stay on the court for John Calipari?
Justin Rowland: I've probably been a bit hard on Richards at times in the past, considering he arrived at Kentucky very raw on both ends of the court and, at least last year, had his work cut out for him in terms of getting on the court with two high level big men hogging the minutes. I've just tried to be realistic about what's likely. As a freshman, his confidence plummeted and he completely fell out of the rotation. He's not the first freshman that has happened to but for a five-star on a team lacking an inside presence, it was tough to watch. Last year it seemed like he was close to turning the corner at times and he turned his strong Bahamas play into some great moments in non-conference and even conference action. But inconsistency still followed him and he didn't improve enough offensively or avoid defensive miscues enough to force Calipari to play him.
Right now it looks like Richards is going to have to play a big role for Kentucky next season, whether Montgomery returns or not. If the Cats return Montgomery and add a grad transfer or get a reclass big then less would be expected of him, but he's not coming back to Lexington to have a repeat of either of the two previous seasons.
I'm just at the place where I wait to see it before I make any proclamations about what he's going to accomplish. Putting in the work and being a good teammate has never been the issue for him, so it's easy to root for him. It's also commendable that he bucked the trend of returning players departing after a second year that didn't go as planned. That shows real perseverance, humility and vision. While returning might have been a no-brainer in the minds of fans, this is mostly uncharted territory for someone in the Calipari era and I expect him to show up with a big chip on his shoulders. My question is not how he will play in preseason practices or November games, but whether he can develop a short memory and move on to the next play, the next game enough to keep Calipari's trust.
If Richards is a starter and getting 25-30 minutes per game for Kentucky then my first instinct is to say the frontcourt will be limited offensively. I think it's reasonable to hope for him to become one of the better defensive bigs in the SEC and if he does that then nobody should complain.
A side point: I just think the Calipari and OAD era has torpedoed the old way we used to think about players and development. He has done such a good job of showcasing freshmen, playing to their strengths and building young guys up in a team context that expectations are sky high. At other schools and in past decades it was not uncommon for some heralded but raw recruits to take a long time to start to come into their own. There just doesn't seem to be the patience there used to be and I'm probably guilty of lacking it myself.
David Sisk: This is not an easy question to answer. Richards has not been that player that can take over a game since he has been here. John Calipari said last summer that for Kentucky to get where it wanted to it had to have Richards at his best. He wasn't and the Cats didn't get there.
Why is he so important? He was the tools to dominate at the five. He is a seven-footer with a seven-six wingspan and athleticism that is off the charts. This is an arguable point, but of all the post players last season on the roster, he had the highest ceiling.
Once again, Calipari is singing his praises, and if he lives up to that billing, he could be that dude. Of course, much will depend it E.J. Montgomery comes back or not, but just fewer numbers in the post should be helpful. Last season, Coach Cal had a short leash with him. Any letdown led him to the bench. The Head Coach might not be as quick to do that next season with no Reid Travis or P.J. Washington to fall back on. But if Montgomery doesn't come back and there is no addition of a quality big then a lot of pressure will fall on Richards.
Not to beat a dead horse, but the alignment could make a bog difference. Small ball could lead to less minutes distributed among the bigs. The two post lineup will give him more time.
But the bottom line is whether or not Montgomery comes back. If he doesn't, Richards may get more time next season that he would have ever dreamed.
Jeff Drummond: I think Nick Richards made a really good decision to test the waters, receive feedback on what he needed to focus on, and return to UK for his junior season. He's a guy I could see staying for all four years and being substantially more prepared to help a pro team in the future. Kentucky assistant coach Kenny Payne is terrific with developing big guys, and, while Richards has not progressed at a rate that some fans expected, he is getting better from year to year. He's a skilled big guy who can give you some scoring, be trusted to hit free throws, and not just take up space. The Cats had to get either Richards or EJ Montgomery back. Both would be great, but it eases a lot of concerns about frontcourt depth.
Travis Graf: I think Nick Richards will have a solid junior campaign. Richards will never be an All-American, but he can be a guy who gives you 10 and 8 in 25 to 30 minutes. However, speaking of All-Americans, Richards had better numbers per 40 minutes as a sophomore than a future All-American, Willie Cauley-Stein. The problem with Richards’ per 40 numbers is he averages almost 7 fouls during that same span.
Richards’ role will be determined by who else John Calipari adds to the roster. For the Cats to be the best version of themselves, I envision that team to have Richards being the first big man off the bench while getting starters minutes. The skill is there. It’s all between the ears with Richards and I think he’ll put it together in 2019, being a formidable piece to the next Kentucky squad.
Warren Taylor: I'm stumped on how to answer this question. Last season, the expectations for Nick Richards were that he would take a huge leap forward. Remember the hype for "Sophomore Nick Richards"? He obviously never became the game changer fans and reporters anticipated but he did find a role on the team as a low minutes energy guy off the bench. He was serviceable to sensational in relief as a starter when the Cats had injury problems during the final two months of the season. I think Richards is a player who thrives when the focus isn't on him. Anyone, Coach Cal included, who expects him to be Kentucky's anchor in the post is setting themselves up to be disappointed. I think a reasonable projection for Richards next season is as a player who averages six points and a few boards per contest. I do believe he will make a difference at the rim as a shot blocker and that will determine how many minutes he gets. Depending on if E.J. Montgomery comes back to school, Richards might be thrust into an uncomfortable situation where he can't thrive in his comfort zone and will have to carry a heavy load on a team with thin depth in the frontcourt. History shows he may not be up to that task, but I hope that's not the case.
