I don't think you're crazy at all. Dakari Johnson seemed to be a bit bigger than Richards is, but perception is a crazy animal.
Comparing Nick Richards to Willie Cauley-Stein
- Thread starter DerekMcPwn
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I don't think you're crazy at all. Dakari Johnson seemed to be a bit bigger than Richards is, but perception is a crazy animal.
For all the folks saying Nick isn’t fit to carry Willie’s jockstrap, do note that Nick is the better statistical rebounder, committed far fewer turnovers, and hit twice as many of his free throws, all while scoring at exactly the same rate and efficiency. Both guys averaged 14 points per 40 minutes at around 62% from the field. Subtract those head-scratcher missed dunks every game and Nick is probably shooting 70%.
Again, I’m not saying Nick is gonna be a first team All-American or a lottery pick, I’m just saying that his issues seem fixable, and he’s already on the verge of being an impact player.
Again, I’m not saying Nick is gonna be a first team All-American or a lottery pick, I’m just saying that his issues seem fixable, and he’s already on the verge of being an impact player.
Maybe,but not by as much as one might think.Willie struggled more than some might remember his first year.Richards may not be the defensive player that Willie was but he could be more offensively skilled before he is done at UK.
Richards will never be as good as Willie on the defensive end. I think he has the potential to be considerably better on the offensive end. Time will tell.
While I liked Willie, he was like a box of chocolates. He could sure be a head scratcher.
I don't know what to make of Nick Richards. On the one hand, as one poster has stated, he has the worst hands in college basketball. He missed more point blank dunks than any 7-footer I've seen. He seemed really lacking in hand/eye coordination. On the other hand, he has a really nice touch facing the basket and on free throws. If he can improve on the first couple of negatives, then his positives would make him a better player that WCS in the future.
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Richards has been working hard on his shot blocking skills in the off season
I’m just brutally honest as always. I loved Wille. I thought he was an awesome defender and a game changer.
I know he threw a clunker in against Wisconsin, but I love the dude. I also like Nick, but his hands are so weak. Hopefully he improves his hand strength. If he doesn’t, I’m not sure his ceiling will be very high.
I know he threw a clunker in against Wisconsin, but I love the dude. I also like Nick, but his hands are so weak. Hopefully he improves his hand strength. If he doesn’t, I’m not sure his ceiling will be very high.
Willie was a game changer defensively. I do agree that Nick probably has more potential offensively.
Now that it’s confirmed we’ll get to see Nick Richards in his junior season, I thought it might be interesting to revisit this analysis. Below are the two players’ per-40 sophomore season stats, with the superior stat in each category in bold font:
Nick Richards
Minutes per game: 12.1
Points: 13.2
Rebounds: 11.0
Blocks: 4.2
Fouls: 6.8
Turnovers: 2.3
FG%: 59.8
FT%: 69.0
PER: 21.2
Willie Cauley-Stein
Minutes per game: 23.8
Points: 11.5
Rebounds: 10.2
Blocks: 4.8
Fouls: 4.5
Turnovers: 1.4
FG%: 59.6
FT%: 48.2
PER: 23.6
Two crucial differences are the foul rates and minutes played, which are undoubtedly connected. Willie could conceivably play 40 minutes without fouling out, while Nick would be lucky to survive 25 minutes. Consequently, Nick’s per-40 stats are a fantasy because they could never be realized. With that limit in mind, the per-40 stats still usefully describe the rates of production.
Beyond Willie’s obvious advantage in avoiding foul trouble and Nick’s edge in free throw shooting, there are some uncanny comparisons. In addition to almost identical field goal percentages, both players produced fewer points and rebounds per minute during their sophomore seasons than during their freshman seasons, but dramatically improved their shot blocking numbers. The net result is that both players modestly improved their PERs by almost the same amount, 1.3 for Nick and 1.5 for Willie.
The numbers tell us Nick is still trending in WCS’ direction with one glaring obstacle: fouls. As a junior, Willie was averaging just three fouls per 40 minutes, whereas Nick is currently closer to seven.
There’s a lot tied up in fouls, including the same deficiencies that don’t appear in the box score, like being out of position on defense. But I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that fouls could make or break a potentially excellent junior season for Nick Richards.
Nick Richards
Minutes per game: 12.1
Points: 13.2
Rebounds: 11.0
Blocks: 4.2
Fouls: 6.8
Turnovers: 2.3
FG%: 59.8
FT%: 69.0
PER: 21.2
Willie Cauley-Stein
Minutes per game: 23.8
Points: 11.5
Rebounds: 10.2
Blocks: 4.8
Fouls: 4.5
Turnovers: 1.4
FG%: 59.6
FT%: 48.2
PER: 23.6
Two crucial differences are the foul rates and minutes played, which are undoubtedly connected. Willie could conceivably play 40 minutes without fouling out, while Nick would be lucky to survive 25 minutes. Consequently, Nick’s per-40 stats are a fantasy because they could never be realized. With that limit in mind, the per-40 stats still usefully describe the rates of production.
Beyond Willie’s obvious advantage in avoiding foul trouble and Nick’s edge in free throw shooting, there are some uncanny comparisons. In addition to almost identical field goal percentages, both players produced fewer points and rebounds per minute during their sophomore seasons than during their freshman seasons, but dramatically improved their shot blocking numbers. The net result is that both players modestly improved their PERs by almost the same amount, 1.3 for Nick and 1.5 for Willie.
The numbers tell us Nick is still trending in WCS’ direction with one glaring obstacle: fouls. As a junior, Willie was averaging just three fouls per 40 minutes, whereas Nick is currently closer to seven.
There’s a lot tied up in fouls, including the same deficiencies that don’t appear in the box score, like being out of position on defense. But I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that fouls could make or break a potentially excellent junior season for Nick Richards.
Richards was one of our most productive players per minute last year. He just couldn’t stay on the court because he was prone to stupid fouls.
He doesn’t have Willies hands and finishing ability, but he is on par as a rim protector and has a better touch from the post and at the line. I look forward to seeing him as a Junior
He doesn’t have Willies hands and finishing ability, but he is on par as a rim protector and has a better touch from the post and at the line. I look forward to seeing him as a Junior
Willie had some of the most exciting plays that I can ever remember by a UK player. So in my opinion Willie trumps Nick by far in talent and I mean no offense to Nick.
Couldn’t stay bc of fouls?? Lmao. Some games he played very little. Cal rode his horses Richards got limited pt bc of it
WCS gave up a lottery pick to come back for his Jr. year........ thanks to his injury most likely............. Richards is undrafted after his soph year. That tells me the people who get paid to do this stuff thinks there is a huge difference in the two players.
Hopefully Richards makes a huge leap but its really just between his ears....... I guess the kid just doesnt have the desire to take the bull by the horns when it comes to basketball.
Hopefully Richards makes a huge leap but its really just between his ears....... I guess the kid just doesnt have the desire to take the bull by the horns when it comes to basketball.
Leads me to think EJ is gone. Personally I don’t think Richards would be as excited if he thought he had to compete with him. Obviously just my opinion.
Yeah but in the end, if Nick only becomes a very good college player for us does it matter if he doesn’t get drafted?
Nick plays great when confident . We have all seen these games where he looks like a top 10 center in cbb . But he has only had like 5-6 at UK but he has had them . If he can do it 5-6 times whether it be scoring 25 like he did as a freshman or grabbing 17 rebs this season it means he has it in him. It is all about confidence. He can shoot , he has good foot work , he has a nice hook shot , he can block shots ect. Literally his 2 weaknesses are his hands and his confidence. I honestly have more excitement about him going into season 3 then I would EJ going into season 2 . But I want EJ back as well !
Well
Willie was amazing as a rim protector and defensive monster but even Nick has a better offensive game then Willie.
Willie was amazing as a rim protector and defensive monster but even Nick has a better offensive game then Willie.
Richards didn't play basketball until the year he turned 16. And personally, I think there's a difference between a kid in the states who does that and one in a country where no one plays the game doing it - development is even more delayed in that case. I've said this before - I served on a mission once in Jamaica. Worked with youth, middle schoolers mostly. Some really great athletes. Every single one of them - everyone - had horrible hands. And great feet. It's cultural. Or at least that's how I took it. You'd throw a ball to them, couldn't catch it to save their lives. Maybe I'm making more of that than I should.
Either way, the kid first picked up a basketball not even 6 years ago. What we see with him is what you'd normally expect. I don't know if that means his development is simply delayed, and we won't see him blossom really until a few more years down the road. Or if he'll never be able to make up the ground lost to years and cultural impact.....
Either way, the kid first picked up a basketball not even 6 years ago. What we see with him is what you'd normally expect. I don't know if that means his development is simply delayed, and we won't see him blossom really until a few more years down the road. Or if he'll never be able to make up the ground lost to years and cultural impact.....
I would love it if NR could be a WCS clone. But he’s not and it’s not reallly close either.
Nick will be a perpetual disappointment because (1) he probably won't dye his hair white, (2) he won't wear shirts that look like a 70's bed sheet, and (3) he won't change his name to one word.
The advantage with that though is Richards probably has better balance as big as he is compared to most bigs. I’d figure that it’s easier to develop your hands than it is to develop balance and light feet but I don’t know that for sure.
Nick Richards would literally be a 50% more effective defender than he already is.........if he'd quit swatting at shots.
1. His timing is terrible. He's always late, leading him to miss the ball and often fouls as a result.
2. Instead, he should be taught to put his incredible wingspan to better use. Simply to leave his outstretched hands in the arc of the shot, which would lead to so many more blocked shots and less fouls.
The coaches should be screaming this in his ear over the summer.
1. His timing is terrible. He's always late, leading him to miss the ball and often fouls as a result.
2. Instead, he should be taught to put his incredible wingspan to better use. Simply to leave his outstretched hands in the arc of the shot, which would lead to so many more blocked shots and less fouls.
The coaches should be screaming this in his ear over the summer.
This is what I've been saying. He's been playing basketball since 2013/2014. They say big men can take longer to develop. That's usually with them being born and raised in the US and having played basketball since they were 3/4/5 years old. We're talking about a guy in NR that started playing at around 13/14 years of age- a whole decade after those ages.
We've seen bits and pieces of what he can do. Now, he won't be playing behind anyone in all likelihood(I think Blackshear goes to UF). Hard to get in to the rhythm of the game if you aren't being used consistently. He'll get every chance this year if he busts his butt.
Exactly... Willie played wide receiver on his football team in high school. I doubt they would have played him at that position if he didn't have good hands. NR is the complete opposite in that regard.
As others have stated, don't think Nick can have the defensive impact in Cal's switching defense that Willie did. Willie had amazing lateral quickness, anticipated well and played defense with his feet first. Nick reaches a lot and doesn't retreat nearly as well as Willie. That said, still think there is a lot of talent there. If he can find a way to consistently score more, you can keep him on floor in games like Auburn. Don't think he'll ever be as good as Willie, but he can be a very effective player, especially as a rebounder. Would like to see him improve setting screens. Big body, but seems like he was called for about one moving screen a game.
The big difference in the two players is mobility. Willie glided like a gazelle; Richards, not so much. Willie was drafted so high, large in part because he could guard any position. The two players aren’t all that similar, aside from height. While Richards will never be WCS, he could damn sure be a difference maker this year
