Richards urges JC athletes to embrace discipline

NEWLY ACQUIRED Miami Heat centre Nick Richards returned to his alma mater Jamaica College (JC) on Saturday, sharing his experience and encouraging the next generation of basketball players to combine discipline in the classroom and hard work on the court to realise their dreams.

Close to 100 student-athletes participated in the sessions as Richards conducted drills, while teaching the youngsters much of the fundamentals of basketball, such as catching, shooting and rebounding.

The Jamaican NBA player, who only last week transferred to the Miami Heat from Chicago Bulls, reflected on his own development at JC and the countless hours he spent honing his skills.

“Back in the day, coach Cunningham and I were out here all day just running up and down the court, enhancing my skills, trying to be the best basketball player that I could be,” Richards told The Gleaner.

Richards, who played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats, challenged the campers to follow a similar path to university, and possibly the professional ranks.

“I feel like once they just put the time and effort in, if they really want it, anybody can do it,” he reasoned.

Richards indicated that his journey in the NBA has also taught him the importance of never becoming complacent.

“You can’t really be satisfied with what you have ,,, there’s always more to achieve,” he said.

For the student-athletes at Jamaica College and some from the community of Majesty Gardens in Kingston, Richards said discipline should extend beyond the basketball court and into the classroom.

“It’s all about discipline at the end of the day. Once you can master the discipline in the classroom, you can master the discipline on the court, for sure,” he said.

Richards, who will be playing a fourth NBA season since 2020 said the move to Miami was driven by his belief that the organisation was a good fit for his abilities.

“I just felt like it was an organisation that needed someone of my skills. I felt like it was just the perfect fit for me,” Richards said.

The former JC standout also used the camp to remind the young athletes that the lessons learnt through sport can be applied to life.

“Just put your all into it. Basketball is just like the game of life. Whatever you put into it, you get out,” he said.

President of the Jamaica Basketball Association (JABA) Paulton Gordon hopes that exposing young players to Jamaican NBA players like Richards will encourage them to realise their full potential.

“We want to bring in the celebrities, persons who have attained the highest level of basketball, so that they can showcase their skills and guide the youngsters who are aspiring to be at the very top,” Gordon told The Gleaner.

“We tell them continuously that what you need to do is ensure that your scholastic level and your basketball skills happen hand in hand, so that you can get the scholarships and attain the level and the quality to be an NBA player; or you can transition to Europe, where you can make a really, really good living,” the JABA boss added.