21 Days Till Tennessee Basketball: Josh Richardson Evaluation

#1

zjcvols

"On a Tennessee saturday night."
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#1
Strengths: Josh Richardson is somebody that everyone coach in America would want on his team. Josh is a team player willing to do whatever it takes for his team to win. Josh is a hard nosed defender that can guard 1-4. He moves laterally extremely well, positioning his body to beat his man to the spot without fouling. Josh is very aggressive on the defensive end, but doesn't foul out despite facing the best perimeter player every night because he knows to use his athleticism and body, not his hands. He has the ability to guard the opposing PG with his length and can force his man to go the way he wants him to go, which is valuable at 6'5/6'6. He also has great ability to close out on shooters. Josh is great at being able to fight through picks and screens and staying with his man. His off ball defense is as good as it gets. He puts his man in uncomfortable catching positions, and forces his man to catch the ball out. Josh is an excellent mid-range jumper, using his athletic ability to rise over the defender and stay on balance to make tough shots, and is especially deadly going to his left. He does a solid job finishing with his right hand and is excellent at crashing the offensive boards for an easy put back. Josh is a good rebounder for his size and does a great job getting back on defense to stop the fast break.

Weaknesses: Josh is not a good shoter despite his great ability inside 15 feet. Josh is a very bad three point shooter. He does not stay on balance and seems to shoot more to the side on three's. He also does not set his feet and rushes his shot. He also hesitates which can hurt the offensive flow on his team. Josh does sometimes struggle with quicker players especially if they cross him over. Josh needs to do better protecting the ball when pressured, and he is weak at feeding the post. He hesitates too much, and does not make the correct pass. He also is weak finishing with his left hand. Josh has improved as a free throw shooter, but that number needs to get to 75%-80%.

Final Thoughts: Josh Richardson is a winning player. If you want to win big in college basketball, you need someone like him on your team that leads by examples and does anything asked of him. Honestly, I'm getting away from the point of the evaluation, but watching Josh Richardson is pure joy for a basketball junkie. In this day of selfishness, watching Josh play basketball is enlightening, because he doesn't care about his touches, just doing what his team needs for the win. He's a defense first player that guards the other player's best offensive threat and can shut them down. He has no fear on the defensive end and can guard anyone under 6'8 and/or 230 pounds. That's incredibly valuable. Even though his range is suspect and he has to improve his three point to be respectable, he's automatic going left for a pull up jumper, and finishes well around the rim. Expect huge things from Josh Richardson this year as the glue guy for Tennessee.
 
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#2
#2
repost this when it isn't bama week.. seems like cool stuff that you said..but does anyone really care until maybe 8 pm Saturday night?
 
#3
#3
repost this when it isn't bama week.. seems like cool stuff that you said..but does anyone really care until maybe 8 pm Saturday night?

I'm not sure. Not really my intentions. Some people like UT basketball better than football. I enjoy the football team, but this is just a little something for people who are excited for basketball season. I'm doing a post everyday until the season starts as a countdown (hence the title).
 
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#5
#5
Well written and nicely put. Josh is the glue guy, and he will make the difference in quite a few games with his defensive effort, if nothing else.
 
#7
#7
He does seem to live for defense. Kinda reminds me of Tony Allen of the Grizz.

Very solid comparison, although I feel Richardson has a more range offensively for this team than Allen does. People forget how good Richardson is from inside 15 feet.
 
#8
#8
Probably my favorite recruit CCM has signed thus far. He's contributed since day 1. Don't think many thought he would be the important to a team by year 3.
 
#9
#9
repost this when it isn't bama week.. seems like cool stuff that you said..but does anyone really care until maybe 8 pm Saturday night?

I care. If you have noticed some of the best schools care about football AND basketball.
 
#10
#10
repost this when it isn't bama week.. seems like cool stuff that you said..but does anyone really care until maybe 8 pm Saturday night?

Just for your info, some of us really care about Tennessee basketball. Personally, I was actually at the Ernie and Bernie show in the 70's and I am nearly as excited for this basketball team as then or since. The football game is a huge deal, but this team is not to be discounted because of it. Peace.
 
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#11
#11
I expect a huge year from josh, and won't be shocked to see him earn some sort of all-sec honors, even of that's honorable mention. I think with the weapons around him he's gonna get a lot of great looks, and from the sounds of it he has really improved his shot.


GBO
 
#12
#12
Josh Richardson is the X factor in my opinion and is extremely under rated. His defense is incredible and now he actually has an offensive game. Chalk that up to Coach Martin player development. I'm expecting a great year from him and I can't wait to see how much he's improved over the offseason.
 
#14
#14
You know I never really thought about this but....a lot of people have asked what Martin sees in such and such recruit. Whys he targeting this guy blah blah blah. Many people have responded that Martin looks for himself in a recruit, a defensive guy who loves playing defense, and progresses offensively throughout his career.

Josh Richardson is the perfect model for a Cuonzo Martin recruit IMO, and with that considered it's no wonder why Martin talks so highly of him.
 
#15
#15
You know I never really thought about this but....a lot of people have asked what Martin sees in such and such recruit. Whys he targeting this guy blah blah blah. Many people have responded that Martin looks for himself in a recruit, a defensive guy who loves playing defense, and progresses offensively throughout his career.

Josh Richardson is the perfect model for a Cuonzo Martin recruit IMO, and with that considered it's no wonder why Martin talks so highly of him.
Very true...wasn't martin terrible at 3's his freshman year and then developed into one of the best 3 point shooters at Purdue?
 
#16
#16
I'm not sure. Not really my intentions. Some people like UT basketball better than football. I enjoy the football team, but this is just a little something for people who are excited for basketball season. I'm doing a post everyday until the season starts as a countdown (hence the title).

As a rabid Tennessee football and basketball fan, and a guy that posts in both forums and hates Alabama with every fiber of my being. I appreciate you doing these evaluations and the time and effort it takes. Keep up the good work.
 
#18
#18
Does any one remember when he tried to dunk on oraki. Dudes head was at the rim, he's got crazy hops
 
#19
#19
Very true...wasn't martin terrible at 3's his freshman year and then developed into one of the best 3 point shooters at Purdue?
It's hard to tell just from looking at statistics, but his freshmen and sophomore year he only attempted seven 3 point shots, but his junior and senior year he took a combined 390 3 points. Either Cuonzo was told not to shoot, or something clicked between his sophomore and junior years.

666 post.
 
#20
#20
Josh is that prototypical 4 year guy that shows progress every year, team player, a guy by the time he is a senior you'll appreciate every year he has given.
 
#21
#21
Josh is that prototypical 4 year guy that shows progress every year, team player, a guy by the time he is a senior you'll appreciate every year he has given.

True. Different positions I know, but he and Dane Bradshaw remind me of one another. They didn't come in highly rated in their class. But both were awesome teamates to have, and "gave/give their all for Tennessee"!


GBO/10 Days
 
#22
#22
BTW thanks Z for these threads. Good analysis on the strengths and weaknesses.

I will say, and this isn't a knock on CCM just an observation, the part about struggling with entry passes to the post could be a coaching deficiency. Im not sayin it isn't a weakness of J Rich, it just seems everybody struggles at this for UT.

Our bigs need to do a better job of holding their position. It is hard to place blame on Stokes last year tho, cause most nights he was the only big on the floor for UT.
 
#23
#23
As usual, great post Z.

Side question: Are you still looking to get into coaching? I remember you saying something about that once. You write like a guy who knows what the hell he's talking about. :hi:
 
#24
#24
repost this when it isn't bama week.. seems like cool stuff that you said..but does anyone really care until maybe 8 pm Saturday night?

Hmmmm.

First off, this is the basketball forum.

Second off, I for one have always cared about Tennessee basketball just a little more than Tennessee football. Still love both.

Third, we're going to get smoked by Bama. Let's be real. If it were in Knoxville, we'd have a puncher's chance. But it's not; it's in Tuscaloosa. Covering the spread would be a victory.
 
#25
#25
Hmmmm.

First off, this is the basketball forum.

Second off, I for one have always cared about Tennessee basketball just a little more than Tennessee football. Still love both.

Third, we're going to get smoked by Bama. Let's be real. If it were in Knoxville, we'd have a puncher's chance. But it's not; it's in Tuscaloosa. Covering the spread would be a victory.

I'm going to post this in the ff, you are in trouble! Lol
 

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