Kentucky basketball: Nick Richards coming alive at perfect time

Kentucky basketball always has Final Four aspirations but behind the breakout season of junior center, Nick Richards, the Wildcats just might get there.

During his 10-plus years as head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, John Calipari has used the one-and-done rule to his advantage. He has sought after the cream of the crop of the graduating seniors and relied on the sheer talent of incoming freshmen to bolster his teams.

In the past few years, other schools have started to make the recruits who were likely to only be on campus for a few months more of a priority. That meant Coach Cal ended up missing out on some of those elite players who once were a guarantee to end up at Big Blue Nation. So instead of a complete roster turnover every season, more kids were staying for multiple years at Kentucky.

It has paid huge dividends this year, particularly due to the play of junior center, Nick Richards. The former McDonald’s All-American is having a career season. He’s currently posting career highs in minutes (28.9), field goals made (5.4), field goals attempted (8.1), field goal percentage (66.9 percent), free throws made (2.9), free throws attempted (4.1), free throw percentage (72.6 percent), offensive rebounds (2.7), defensive rebounds (5.1), total rebounds (7.8), blocks (2.4) and points per game (13.7).

Expectations in the preseason were Kentucky would be one of the nation’s best teams. Some of the best teams Calipari has led in Lexington have featured dominant big men. From Anthony Davis to Karl-Anthony Towns, to Willie Cauley-Stein, when the Wildcats have a true interior presence on the floor it makes a real difference.

Richards was thought to be next in line when he was first brought in, however, it took him longer than his predecessors to find his footing. He struggled with the speed and physicality of facing older and more mature opponents at the NCAA level. He would get pushed off his spots or shy away from contact far too often to be a productive piece in his first two seasons.

That has completely changed this year. Even though names like Ashton Hagans, Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley get more of the attention, it is Richards who is currently leading the Wildcats in scoring this season. He looks more sure of himself on the floor and he makes sure anyone who enters the painted area feels his presence — offensively or defensively. Add in the perimeter defensive abilities of Hagans and Maxey and Kentucky has the makings of a team that could really shut down their opponents when everyone is locked in.

As we approach March, Kentucky will need Richards to keep playing at this level if they are going to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. At 6-foot-11, with the athleticism to leap above players his size and the agility to hold his own against players smaller than him, he has the tools to succeed in the modern game. He’s even displayed a newfound shooting touch that extends out to 12-15 feet comfortably.

Players develop at different rates, yet when a recruit chooses to attend Kentucky they are met with expectations to produce immediately. Richards has fought off the “bust” label after two underwhelming seasons to begin his time as a member of Big Blue Nation and now has stepped up in a big way for the Wildcats this year.

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