International Prospect: Ryan Richards

[ivanfromwestwood]

yea buddy. good job Ryan. time to see what you can do. make sure you come out swinging .

make us proud. we'll be watching you very closely. this just made my day.

[GB20]

Richards heading to Spain

San Antonio Spurs draftee Ryan Richards has been playing great of late since coming off shoulder surgery and it has been paying off.

He played great for Great Britain in the U20 tournament, enough to get invited to Great Britain's preliminary men's senior basketball team and now he is off to join Baskonia/Caja Laboral:

This is a huge step in Richards' development on the court. His new team is one of the premier Spanish clubs and has produced NBA talent such as Spurs' Tiago Splitter, Luis Scola, and Jose Calderon.

Congrats Richards.

http://projectspurs.com/2011-article...-to-spain.html

for how long is he going to stay with caja laboral?

[Bruno]

Future will tell but I find it's a bad choice. Richards could easily end up as their 3rd string center behind Lampe and Musli. If it's the case, he won't get any minutes and the best solution would be that Caja Laboal loan him to a weaker team.

It will be nice to see the details of his contract too. Hope it will be a NBA friendly one.

[ChumpDumper]

Yeah, seems like too high a level for him at this point.

[ivanfromwestwood]

Yeah, seems like too high a level for him at this point.

how so? we have all seen players right out of HS become serviceable nba players. this young man has all the tools to be productive. his ceiling will be determined by his work ethic. i say throw him to the wolves. its the only way know if he has the will to succeed?

[Darkwaters]

how so? we have all seen players right out of HS become serviceable nba players. this young man has all the tools to be productive. his ceiling will be determined by his work ethic. i say throw him to the wolves. its the only way know if he has the will to succeed?

The problem is that if he can't get off the bench because of a talented lineup in front of him then he won't be doing much learning. Coming off a lost season due to shoulder surgery the guy needs minutes more than anything else.

[Splitter25]

It was a joke from Richards who is in Vitoria seeing his friend Van Oostrum. He will not sign with Baskonia.

[GB20]

ryan richards led his national team with 16 points in 10 minutes of action today.

[Bruno]

Good news that the Caja Laboral rumor was BS. Richards needs to get playing time whether it is with the Toros or in Europe.

The game against Netherlands pretty much means nothing. It looks like it was more a scrimmage than a true game: http://www.hoopsfix.com/2011/08/gb-r...-up-of-summer/

The first true meaningful game for Richards will be on August 16th against France. It should be a game played more seriously and Richards will face decent bigmen with Noah and Turiaf. Let's hope Richards will still be a part of GBNT at that time and that he will play some minutes.

[mountainballer]

IMO it's depending on what the Spurs long term plans with Richards are to judge what the right team would be. if Spurs don't plan to bring him over till 2013 or 2014, then Caja could be a good place. it's not a bad thing for a young player to be coached by Ivanovic. Richards might not play that much in the first season (like Barac did three years back for example), but beginning at 10-12 MPG on top pro level might be the right way. what we know is that Ivanovic does give his young players a chance to play, when the time is right.

if the Spurs plan to bring him over 2012, then I agree he needs a team where he gets more PT and it might be even better to put him on the Toros for a season. (and let him work with the Spurs at the camp)

[xellos88330]

Good news that the Caja Laboral rumor was BS. Richards needs to get playing time whether it is with the Toros or in Europe.

The game against Netherlands pretty much means nothing. It looks like it was more a scrimmage than a true game: http://www.hoopsfix.com/2011/08/gb-r...-up-of-summer/

The first true meaningful game for Richards will be on August 16th against France. It should be a game played more seriously and Richards will face decent bigmen with Noah and Turiaf. Let's hope Richards will still be a part of GBNT at that time and that he will play some minutes.

Is it going to be on NBA tv, or available broadband?

[yavozerb]

Good news that the Caja Laboral rumor was BS. Richards needs to get playing time whether it is with the Toros or in Europe.

The game against Netherlands pretty much means nothing. It looks like it was more a scrimmage than a true game: http://www.hoopsfix.com/2011/08/gb-r...-up-of-summer/

The first true meaningful game for Richards will be on August 16th against France. It should be a game played more seriously and Richards will face decent bigmen with Noah and Turiaf. Let's hope Richards will still be a part of GBNT at that time and that he will play some minutes.

Disagree with your assessment about the Netherlands game. Anytime you are attempting to make a team any Pt is important PT and he seemed to make the most of his limited time. To expect Richards to perform well against talented and seasoned NBA players like Noah and Turiaf may be asking a bit much. Not only do I not expect much from Richards against France, but the Brits team as a whole should struggle. Here's hoping though that Richards can prove me wrong..

[yavozerb]

http://projectspurs.com/2011-article...tion-play.html

[Bruno]

Disagree with your assessment about the Netherlands game. Anytime you are attempting to make a team any Pt is important PT and he seemed to make the most of his limited time. To expect Richards to perform well against talented and seasoned NBA players like Noah and Turiaf may be asking a bit much. Not only do I not expect much from Richards against France, but the Brits team as a whole should struggle. Here's hoping though that Richards can prove me wrong..

It isn't only a matter of opponent.

When I see reports saying that 14 players for GB played more than 10min, leading scorers besides Richards are Kyle Johnson (playing in a small college) and Eric Boateng (5ppg with the Toros), it says it all about this game. It is like Spurs' first preseason game where Pop mainly uses 3rd and 4th stringer.

My point is that game doesn't help to know if Richards will turn as a good player but I agree with your point that it will help him to make the senior squad.

[Bruno]

Is it going to be on NBA tv, or available broadband?

I don't know but there should have some streaming available on the internet. This game will be part of a 6 days tournament in London with GB, France, China, Australia, Serbia and Croatia. This tournament is made to test Olympic facilities.

[yavozerb]

http://www.kentnews.co.uk/sport/rich...ll_up_1_992392

[bluebellmaniac]

Wow, Richards has a long way to go before he is NBA ready if we are celebrating his making the big boy team for GB. It's definitely a step in the right direction, but shows that he needs to improve... a lot. Right now I hope that he can someday be good enough for a role player position on the team. This is true of most of the stashed big picks we have. Seems like such a crap shoot considering it'll be years before this fruit ripens. Lorbek seems like the best shot at filling a need now.

When would training camp be starting if there wasn't a lockout? When do we "officially" start missing NBA news? Right now I just want to know who's in shape and who is not.

Curse this lockout!

[yavozerb]

Wow, Richards has a long way to go before he is NBA ready if we are celebrating his making the big boy team for GB. It's definitely a step in the right direction, but shows that he needs to improve... a lot. Right now I hope that he can someday be good enough for a role player position on the team. This is true of most of the stashed big picks we have. Seems like such a crap shoot considering it'll be years before this fruit ripens. Lorbek seems like the best shot at filling a need now.

When would training camp be starting if there wasn't a lockout? When do we "officially" start missing NBA news? Right now I just want to know who's in shape and who is not.

Curse this lockout!

An unknown player like Richards to make the senior NT at 20 years is a good accomplishment. Dont think many are expecting Richards to be ready for a season or 2 but at least this will allow him to compete against legit NBA talent.

[Rito3d30]

anyone know how he played against China yesterday?

[ChumpDumper]

Who is the 18 year old? Does he play center?

[biggysmall]

The 18 year old picked was the point guard who i mentioned earlier in the thread so he was not chosen above him at all, firstly i would hope you would realise they werent in direct competiotion for a spot. GB are a lot stronger in the forwards position than at the guard spot. This has resulted in the coach taking 3pgs and 3sgs as none of these spots have been cemented. Due to this richards has been left out which many see as a risky decision. In effect Coach Finch has fiven up his 5th big man (Richards) to give himself more options with his guards. I have read comments regarding how poor Richards must be if he cant make this team but that is not the case. The forwards chosen above him were Joel Freeland wh was a 1st round pick by Portland and is forging a great career in europe and is only 24, Portland are looking to take him to the NBA next season at the end of his spanish team conttract. Robert Archibald was drafted in the nba and has ahad a long career throuighout the top leagues of europe, currently in the ACB. Dan Clark is another big playing decent mins in the ACB and Eric Boatang got close to making the Nuggets last season and despite his NBADL numbers being relativley poor he has international experience and was a good Ncaa big man, doing exactly what GB need of him through rebounding put backs etc. Whilst i understand this is not similar in any way to the USA team those saying he must be terrible if he cant make the GB team are off the mark. For a guy who has not played all season (and not a great deal before that) to get so close to making the cut is impressive and bodes well for him making and impression in the league during the next few years.

[ChumpDumper]

Link to Archibald's serious injury before the tournament or you're lying again.

[biggysmall]

Archibald is ill and got ill after the squad was chosen. clark is fit and has played every game, he hurt his hand in a warmup game but was fine.

[ChumpDumper]

They were both injured (as in not sure if or how they could play) at the time the final roster had to be submitted to FIBA.

You're lying. You should be banned for life and several years after that.

[Bruno]

Richards seems close to signing with a Swiss team:
http://www.hoopsfix.com/2011/09/ryan...n-switzerland/

If it's true, he will play in a low level league which should allow him to get plenty of playing time.