Mitch Richmond probably can`t save the Golden State Warriors from mediocrity, but the list of things he can`t do seems to be getting shorter.
The explosive, muscular, 6-foot-5-inch, 225-pound Kansas State graduate-yes, graduate-is almost too good to be true, even aside from his 21-point average and other impressive numbers.
There`s a Yiddish word for it: Mitch Richmond is a mensch.
What kind of a guy is this shoo-in for rookie of the year? During the National Basketball Association`s All-Star break, he might be expected just to take it easy. A member of the Olympic team, he hasn`t had much chance to relax in nearly two years.
In fact, Richmond will be in Manhattan, Kan., visiting his former coaches and teammates. That`s vintage Richmond, according to K-State coach Lon Kruger. ”He was just a delight to be around every day, highly respected by his teammates and his instructors on campus,” Kruger said. ”He was always considerate of others. I`m sure he hasn`t changed very much.”
Doesn`t Richmond have any warts? Well, there was that game against San Antonio when Warriors coach Don Nelson planted him on the bench because of an insubordinate response to a Nelson tongue-lashing.
But even that incident Nelson attributes to a minor case of midseason blahs resulting from the mental fatigue of Richmond`s unrelenting schedule.
It started ”three or four games” before then, Nelson said.
”He was losing his concentration. He was missing way too many assignments. It wasn`t just during games. I noticed it in practices. He had to work his way through that, and he did, and he`s been sensational ever since.” Indeed, after what Richmond refers to as ”a nice conversation” with Nelson, he has proceeded to average 24.5 points a game. Before the run-in, his average was 19.1.
Richmond made an early-and, as it turned out, false-impression as a bricklayer. He was shooting only 41.2 percent after 17 games. But he has that up to 48.6, and who can forget the game in Sacramento when he made all five three-point attempts?
Neither Nelson nor Richmond will overtly criticize Olympic coach John Thompson, but it`s evident that Thompson`s discouragement of Richmond`s outside game had an early-season effect.
”He wasn`t looking for his shots,” Nelson said. ”I don`t think many of the (Olympic) players were looking for their offense. It was a different system, and it took him a little while to get back to playing the way I wanted him to.”
Richmond insisted the Olympics was a good experience, adding: ”Coach Thompson is one of the great coaches at getting players in shape, and I think that helped me a lot. I came in here ready to play.”
Nelson surprised nearly everyone when he drafted Richmond, and he was almost smug about the pick. But even Nelson is pinching himself.
”I had him as an all-star-caliber player a couple of years down the line, but I don`t know that anybody dreamed he`d been doing what he`s doing this early,” Nelson admitted.
”How many guys can get 20 a game in this league as rookies and fit into a winning situation and everything else? It`s just remarkable what he`s done.”
What Richmond has done is shock the opposition.
”He can get his own shot, he can shoot on the perimeter, he can play post-up, he goes inside, he rebounds the basketball-he`s a heck of a player,” said New Jersey coach Willis Reed.
Too much too soon? Will Richmond get the big head?
”I guess I`m concerned about anybody that has instant success, that they can handle it,” Nelson said. ”I hope that he`s mature enough to. He plays on both ends of the court. I think that says something about him. He`s not just an offensive player, not just a guy that goes for the glory. He does all the dirty work, too.”
Richmond is a rookie. What is Nelson looking for down the line?
”More of the same. That`s really it. I don`t want anything different.”
