Josh Richardson a summer "relevation" for the Miami Heat (free read/update)

#1
iKrager

iKrager

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#1
It isn't surprising to me that Josh has been doing this well. Though drafted for primarily his defense, it's no shock to me to see he's putting up numbers offensively. This past year he took on the opposing team's best defender and still shot a remarkable 46% from the field. Now he's showing his excellent midrange game is garnering appraisal for it.

It started with a 10 a.m. game Friday morning on the Orlando Magic's practice court at the Amway Center, with a game-high 18 points in the 91-68 victory over the Detroit Pistons that allowed the Heat to close the Orlando summer league at 5-0.

Then, Saturday night, in a game that began at 10:40 p.m. Eastern, Richardson once again led the Heat to victory, this time with 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks in the Heat's 82-79 victory over the Utah Jazz at the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus to open the Vegas summer league.

Two victories in games three time zones and 2,300 miles apart on consecutive nights.

By contrast, Heat first-round pick Justise Winslow was given both Friday and Saturday off by assistant coach Dan Craig, who is guiding the Heat's summer program, with the Heat listing Saturday's absence due to "general soreness."

"Our scouting staff does a tremendous job evaluating talent. And this was a guy they had on the radar," Craig said of the Heat snaring Richardson with the No. 40 overall pick. "He was around in the second round. We were probably fortunate to get him when we did. I don't think his [college] team performed as well as they probably wanted. And a lot of the team not doing well probably had a little bit to do with him slipping in the draft, which was great for us.

"He's a tremendous player, on both sides of the floor. We were really happy surprised with how quickly he was able to evolve into the NBA game, particularly from the point-guard standpoint."

The versatility could go a long way toward a roster spot on the Heat's ever-tightening roster. Richardson started Friday's game at point guard. Saturday, he shifted to shooting guard with Shabazz Napier opening at point
"He is able to get us into offense," Craig said of Richardson. "He is very comfortable making plays, getting into the paint, and he does that without turning the ball over, which there's a lot to be said about that."

Richardson had only one turnover in each of the past two games, despite playing in attack mode on both ends in going 29 minutes on Friday and 28 on Saturday in the 40-minute summer-length games.

"It's not even to show the coaches," Richardson said of his relentless motor. "That's just what I do. It's how I play every day. That's how I played four years in college, so I'm not going to change at all now."
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Read more:
Josh Richardson solid for Miami Heat during NBA summer league - Sun Sentinel

Credit: Just resharing this article shared by the Tennessee Basketball page on Facebook (worth finding and following).
 
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#4
#4
Most UT, even SEC fans knew Josh was one of the better players around. Glad to see he is showing out at the next level now.
 
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#6
#6
CMvol said:
He is going to be great for the Heat!!
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I don't know how much I would bet on him being GREAT for anyone in the NBA, but I think he will be a serviceable player to come off the bench. Just not consistent enough to play at an NBA level day-in, day-out.

Remember that this is just summer league, much different than your regular NBA roster that he's going against.

But I do wish him the best and would love to see him prove me wrong.
 
#7
#7
VolFan_N_NC said:
I don't know how much I would bet on him being GREAT for anyone in the NBA, but I think he will be a serviceable player to come off the bench. Just not consistent enough to play at an NBA level day-in, day-out.

Remember that this is just summer league, much different than your regular NBA roster that he's going against.

But I do wish him the best and would love to see him prove me wrong.
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I would agree that the word GREAT probably will not define Josh's career but the Heat drafted him for EXACTLY what he and most all understand....He'll fit PERFECTLY with what the Heat drafted him for and what he's EXCELLENT at doing...So I fully expect him to make roster and have a fulfilling NBA career...because if we've seen anything in the past years in the NBA...don't care how many GREAT players you have if you don't have a Josh Richardson player who understands who he is and what he's there for, you can not win NBA championships...Having said that the NBA game is way, way down my list of sporting events I'll take the time out of a most busy schedule to view...JMO...
 
#12
#12
Such a good success story for a guy who did it the right way and didn't have anything handed to him. He worked his butt off and made his dream of the NBA his reality. Couldn't happen to a better, more deserving kid.
 
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#13
#13
I love how people are acting like Richardson's mid range game is some revelation. He's had one of the best 15 footers, on any level, for the past two years. He has near Tony Allen level defense except he also can score when required of him. He may never be an all star, but he will get paid for many years.
 
#14
#14
Daloth said:
I love how people are acting like Richardson's mid range game is some revelation. He's had one of the best 15 footers, on any level, for the past two years. He has near Tony Allen level defense except he also can score when required of him. He may never be an all star, but he will get paid for many years.
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I love how you're acting like he didn't have a jump shot the second he stepped onto campus. Because he did.
 
#17
#17
iKrager said:
Me too :confused:
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It was a typo, but it's not entirely incorrect in a sense. "Relevation" seems like relevant + ation = the act of becoming relevant. JRich is becoming relevant in the NBA Summer League, he's going through a relevation.

Lmao :)
 
#18
#18
Chris4Vols22 said:
I love how you're acting like he didn't have a jump shot the second he stepped onto campus. Because he did.
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Of course he did. How often did he put it up as a freshman or sophomore even though? who would've said Richardson the 18 year old had one of the best 15 footers in college based on the amount of shots he put up? nobody. His junior year gave glimpses, the NCAA run confirmed it, and his senior year he continued to make mid range shots day in and day out and many of those at high difficulty or in pressure situations, to the point you could say he had one of the best mid range games in the country, and draft even really.
 
#19
#19
Daloth said:
Of course he did. How often did he put it up as a freshman or sophomore even though? who would've said Richardson the 18 year old had one of the best 15 footers in college based on the amount of shots he put up? nobody. His junior year gave glimpses, the NCAA run confirmed it, and his senior year he continued to make mid range shots day in and day out and many of those at high difficulty or in pressure situations, to the point you could say he had one of the best mid range games in the country, and draft even really.
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Agreed. I just 100% sure definitely noticed he had a mid-range game as a freshman. Raw, but he established that early on.
 
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