University of Tennessee Athletics
June 26, 2015 | Men's Basketball
By Brian Rice
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. --
UTSports.com
He may not have been at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the 2015 NBA Draft, but after seeing his name appear on ESPN's broadcast, he will have the opportunity to compete for a spot to suit up in that venue this season.
The Edmond, Okla., native and Tennessee graduate became the 46th Volunteer drafted when the Miami Heat called his name with the 40th overall selection.
"When I first saw it scroll across the bottom of the TV screen, I was incredibly excited," Richardson said after watching the draft with friends and family.
The Heat had scouted Richardson, a player that team president Pat Riley said they had pegged as a first-rounder, over the course of his college career. Richardson said his game melds well with what he knows the Miami organization is all about.
"I know the way the Miami Heat likes to play defense, they like to guard and get into people," he said. "I fit that mold. To be able to learn from somebody like Dwyane Wade will be huge. I think I can come in and give them some great defense, and knock down some open shots."
His evaluation matched that of Riley, who raved about the defense of Richardson and fellow Heat draftee Justise Winslow.
"Josh was on the SEC All-Defensive team two years in a row and made All-SEC this season," Riley said. "We got two guys that can defend people on the perimeter and two guys that can score."
Richardson's stock rose dramatically from the conclusion of the 2014-15 season through pre-draft workouts. Despite not being invited to the NBA Draft Combine, Richardson continued to work himself into the draft conversation, working out for more than half of the league's teams.
"It was a process of working the whole time, getting in the gym every day and trying to fix my weaknesses," Richardson said. "I think a lot of it was teams being able to actually get me in the gym against some elite talent so they could see me closer, since I didn't get to go to the combine. I think it was a matter of seeing me in person."
Richardson showcased his talents by taking on a different role, point guard, as a senior. Riley said in his post-draft press conference that Richardson projected as a wing in the Heat's system. Playing away from that position was thought to have hurt his stock in the draft, but in hindsight it seems to him that it was actually a positive.
"I think it showed a lot of my versatility on the court," he said. "I think the Heat can move me to the point if I'm needed, and it showed them how good of decisions that I made. This year, it came down to a lot of close plays with the shot clock running down and me making quick decisions."
Richardson reports to Miami Sunday to begin his professional career. From there, he will likely take part in the NBA Summer League, a physical grind that can showcase a player's ability and impact his chances to earn a spot in training camp.
"I have friends that are in the NBA, they have told me how tough it can be at first," Richardson said of playing in the summer league. "I've just been trying to stay in the best shape that I can, that's the only way I know how to prepare, staying in the gym, working in the weight room and keeping my conditioning right."
Richardson's time at Tennessee saw both challenges and triumph, from narrowly missing the NCAA Tournament in his first two seasons to a breakout performance in a Sweet Sixteen run as a junior to a coaching change, followed by a position change on a young team as a senior. All of those things helped make him the player that he has become. It also taught him to value whatever comes his way next.
"It showed me that nothing comes easy," Richardson said of the adversity. "I think I'm prepared for every situation at the pro level, and I can do it to the best of my abilities."
