NICK RICHARDS, Big (Junior)
CURRENT PROJECTION: 45-60
Kentucky junior big man Nick Richards, originally from Jamaica, was a McDonald’s All-American who participated in the Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoops Summit in 2017. He attended The Patrick School in New Jersey, which is where Kyrie Irving also played high school basketball.
He struggled as a freshman, averaging just 5.1 points and 4.4 rebounds in 37 games as a starter. Richards was relegated to a bench role as a sophomore last season but his scoring and rebounding numbers per 40 minutes dropped once again from what was already a disappointing collegiate debut campaign.
However, he re-joined the starting for Kentucky as a junior and began playing the best basketball of his NCAA career. Since the beginning of January, Richards averaged 15.3 points with 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.
At the conclusion of the season, his field goal percentage within five feet of the rim (84.3%) ranked second-best among all high-major players. He was also shooting 38-for-42 (90.5%) when cutting to the basket and 14-for-18 (77.8%) when rolling to the basket in pick-and-roll sets, per Synergy.
Richards was not appearing on mock drafts or big boards until December 2019. Now, he is someone who has proven to be worth a flier in the second round.
Tyrese Maxey | Ashton Hagans | Nick Richards | Immanuel Quickley | Kahlil Whitney | EJ Montgomery | Keion Brooks