• Slug: Sports-Suns Nick Richards, 700 words.
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By Brevan Branscum
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Fourteen games into his tenure as a Phoenix Sun, Nick Richards has molded into a strong presence for the team that desperately needed one.

It’s another stop in the center’s five-year career, a journey that stretches back to when he grew up in Kingston, Jamaica and learned how to play basketball in the eighth grade.

On that journey, Richards spent two years at The Patrick School, a New Jersey high school that has developed numerous NBA prospects and players, most notably Dallas Mavericks star and NBA champion Kyrie Irving. Chris Chavannes, who coached Richards in high school, isn’t surprised by his quick impact.

“Sometimes he doesn’t have that sexy look to his game, but he has been doing this since he’s been in high school,” said Chavannes, who is president of The Patrick School and serves as the coach of the renowned basketball program. “Kids that have it all in the sense of the upside, the work ethic, size, very coachable, everything … those people tend to have a better opportunity.”

Like Richards, Chavannes is from Jamaica and knows the area where Richards was raised, noting a lack of basketball resources compared to the United States.

Without the resources, Richards didn’t start playing the sport until eighth grade. Despite being behind most players his age, he grasped the game quickly for a player who had only started playing a few years prior, according to Chavennes.

“I understand where he came from, and you have to drive quite a while to find an outdoor court, let alone an indoor one,” Chavannes said of the sparse facilities in Jamaica. “For him to come in and adapt and learn as much as he did is a credit to him and who he is as a person.”

Richards’ ability to adapt has translated to his NBA career and short tenure with the Suns, who acquired the 27-year-old last month in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets. In his debut with the Suns on Jan. 18, Richards recorded 21 points and 11 rebounds off the bench and was a team-high +22 in a four-point win over Detroit. Two games later against Washington, he recorded 20 points and a career-high 19 rebounds.

“I think everybody’s just making my job really easy,” Richards said after the game against Washington. “From the jump, coach, all the players, all the staff just tell me, be yourself. Do what you do best, and you’re going to fit in right away.”

Although he never put up big numbers in his four years with Charlotte, the 7-foot Richards provided a steady presence in various roles asked of him. However, two aspects of his game stand out and are the reason the Suns traded for him: defense and rebounding.

In 14 games with the Suns, Richards has six games with double-digit rebounds, and four with 14 or more. It didn’t take long for his teammates to notice his impact.

“He has a certain presence that we needed on this team,” said rookie forward Ryan Dunn. “It’s great having someone where I know in the back of my mind, if my guy gets to the rim, he can go block that for me.”

Suns stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker play a role in getting Richards acclimated to the team and system. Durant has appreciated Richards’ rebounding and screening and encouraged him to get involved in the offense more often.

“KD is just encouraging me to try and go at people, telling me to post guys up,” Richards said. “Show them that you’re not just that one type of player.”

Through 14 games with the Suns, Richards is averaging 8.8 points per game and 10 rebounds per game, with five double-doubles. He’s shooting 57.3% from the field while adding 1.1 blocks a game on the defensive end.

From Jamaica to a raw 13-year-old with no basketball experience to signing with the University of Kentucky, the challenges of Richards’ journey are paying dividends in his early stint with the Suns.

“He knows what it means to compete. He’s always competed against the best because of where he has been,” Chavannes said. “I think all of that is now paying off.”

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