Will Richardson Declare for the NBA Draft?
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The college basketball season is over and now everyone is wondering: will Will Richardson declare for the NBA draft? We take a look at the pros and cons of his decision.
Will Richardson’s College Career
Will Richardson just completed his college career at North Carolina State University. He played three seasons for the Wolfpack, and he was a key player on the team that made it to the Sweet Sixteen in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. Richardson has now decided to declare for the NBA Draft.
Richardson’s freshman year
Will Richardson had a successful freshman year at the University of Oregon. He was named to the All-Pac-12 Freshman team and wasSecond-team All-Pac-12. He averaged 12.5 points per game, 4.4 assists per game, and 3.4 rebounds per game.
Richardson’s sophomore year
Will Richardson’s sophomore year was his most successful one yet. He averaged 17.1 points per game, 5.6 assists per game, and 3.5 rebounds per game. He was named to the All-ACC Second Team and was voted as the ACC Most Improved Player. His draft stock rose significantly, and many experts predicted that he would declare for the NBA Draft after the season.
Richardson’s junior year
Will Richardson had a breakout junior year, averaging 16.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 39.1 percent from three-point range. He was named honorable mention All-Big Ten by the conference’s coaches and was an honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press. Richardson helped lead Ohio State to a share of the Big Ten regular season title and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Richardson’s NBA Prospects
Will Richardson, a junior at the University of Oregon, is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2020 NBA draft. The 6-foot-6 guard is coming off a season in which he averaged 16.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Richardson’s strengths
Will Richardson is one of the most talented young players in the country. A 6-foot-6 guard from Orlando, Richardson has the ability to score from anywhere on the court. He’s an excellent shooter, and he’s also a good rebounder and playmaker.
Richardson has already declared for the NBA draft, and he’s expected to be a lottery pick. If he does well in pre-draft workouts, he could even go in the top 10. However, there are some concerns about his defense and whether he can play point guard at the next level.
Richardson’s weaknesses
There are some concerns about Richardson’s game that might cause him to slip in the NBA draft. One is that he’s not an elite athlete. He’s a good leaper and he’s quick, but he doesn’t have the same kind of explosiveness that some other guards do. This could limit his ability to create separation on the offensive end and to stay in front of quick guards on defense.
Another concern is Richardson’s shooting. He’s a good shooter, but he’s not elite. His three-point percentage dipped below 40% last season, and he didn’t show much improvement from the foul line, where he shot just 67%. Some scouts wonder whether he has the tools to be a consistent shooter at the next level.
Finally, there are questions about Richardson’s decision-making. He had a tendency to force things at times last season, particularly when he was trying to create off the dribble. This led to some ugly turnovers, and it’s something that NBA teams will surely be looking at closely as they evaluate him for the draft.
Richardson’s NBA Comparison
While there are many talented players in the 2020 NBA Draft class, there is only one Will Richardson. The 6-foot-6 guard from Oregon has the chance to be a lottery pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving is a 6’3″ point guard out of Duke University. He is considered one of the best point guard prospects in recent memory, and some have even drawn comparisons to Hall of Famer Magic Johnson.
Richardson has the same build as Kyrie, and he’s an equally gifted scorer. Richardson is a big-time playmaker with the ability to take over a game and will be a lottery pick if he declares for the draft.
Kemba Walker
In many ways, Kemba Walker and Will Richardson are very similar players. Both are slightly undersized for their position, both are scoring point guards who can also create for their teammates, and both have the ability to knock down outside shots.
The biggest difference between the two is that Kemba Walker is a significantly better shooter than Will Richardson. While Richardson is a good shooter, he’s not on the same level as Walker, who is one of the best shooters in the NBA.
Another difference between the two is thatWalker is a much better defender than Richardson. This is largely due to Walker’s size and athleticism; at 6’1″, he has the quickness to stay in front of most point guards, and his length allows him to contest shots well. Richardson, on the other hand, is just 6’0″ and isn’t particularly quick or lengthy, which makes it difficult for him to defend at a high level.
What Richardson Needs to Improve
Richardson is a talented player, but there are a few things he needs to improve on if he wants to have a successful NBA career. First, he needs to improve his jump shot. Second, he needs to get stronger and add some muscle. Third, he needs to work on his ball-handling and playmaking skills. Lastly, he needs to improve his defense.
Shooting
One of the main things that Richardson needs to improve if he wants to have a successful NBA career is his shooting. His shooting percentages from both two-point and three-point range were not impressive in his one season at Syracuse, and he will need to become a more consistent shooter if he wants to stick in the NBA. Richardson is a good athlete and has good size for an NBA shooting guard, so if he can improve his shooting, he should be able to find a role on an NBA team.
Ball-handling
In order for Richardson to improve his game and become a more attractive NBA prospect, he will need to work on his ball-handling. Although he is an excellent shooter, Richardson struggles when it comes to creating his own shot off the dribble. This is especially evident in situations where he is forced to take contested jump shots. If Richardson can improve his ball-handling and learn to create better shots for himself, he will greatly increase his chances of being drafted into the NBA.
Where Richardson Could Be Drafted
Will Richardson had a breakout season for the Oregon Ducks, and now he has a decision to make. Should he declare for the NBA Draft, or should he return to school for his junior year? If he declares for the draft, where could he potentially be drafted?
lottery pick
The phrase “lottery pick” is thrown around a lot leading up to the NBA Draft, but what does it actually mean?
A lottery pick is determined by the inverse order of the season’s standings. For example, the team with the worst record will have the best odds of getting the top pick and thus a better chance of drafting a franchise player. The teams with the worst records are said to be in “the lottery.”
There are 14 teams in the lottery. For non-playoff teams, the odds of getting the first overall pick are as follows:
-Team with worst record: 25 percent
-Teams with second and third worst records: 19 percent
-Teams with fourth through seventh worst records: 15 percent
-Teams with eighth through eleventh worst records: 10 percent
-Teams ranked 12th through 14th: 5 percent
late first-round pick
Will Richardson has until May 30th to decide whether or not to declare for the NBA draft. Richardson played shooting guard for most of his time at Oregon, but he also has the ability to play point guard, which could make him an attractive option for teams late in the first round.
Richardson is a solid three-point shooter, and he has shown flashes of being a very good playmaker. He needs to become more consistent with his outside shot, and he needs to improve his decision-making on the court.
If Richardson declares for the draft, he is likely to be a late first-round pick.
second-round pick
Richardson has the talent to be a first-round pick but might not hear his name called until the second round. He is projected as the No. 56 pick by ESPN and No. 60 by CBS Sports.