Richard Hopes his Summer Work Earns Minutes
It's often been said that the second year of doing something produces much better results than the first. You know... practice makes perfect. Wolves forward Chris Richard is hoping to fulfill that prophecy in this, his second season with the Wolves.
Richard, the second-round pick (41st overall) of the Wolves in the 2007 NBA Draft, experienced many of the ups and downs that come with life as a rookie in the NBA; Wavering minutes, inconsistent play and a steep learning curve all culminated in a challenging rookie year for the former Florida Gator.
While not a surprise to him, Richard admits his rookie season was a transition period. "It was a learning process," Richard acknowledged. "I wasn't really surprised because I've been in situations before, like my first year in college, where I've had to learn. It was a tough season for me."
Richard's first season tested not only his physical makeup, but his mental makeup as well. "It was a tough situation for someone like myself who loves to compete and wants to win and help the team win," said Richard. Despite the frustrations, Richard remained patient and hoped his opportunity would come. "I learned a lot about how to stay patient and be ready for your opportunity.”
For Richard, he hopes the opportunity comes sooner rather than later... Soon, as in this season. Richard spent countless hours in the gym this summer; working with Assistant General Manager Fred Hoiberg among others to improve and gain some much needed confidence. Richard says that his tireless work this summer is starting to pay off. "I was here with the coaches and some of the older guys almost every day learning," said Richard. "They've all really helped me to grasp the concepts and what to look out for."
Richard’s hard work and determination in the summer has led to an improved understanding of where to be at the right time, something Richard hopes puts him in a better position to do the little things he needs to do to stay on the court. “I have a better understanding of the game and where to be at the right times,” Richard said. “Also, understanding defensive positioning, where to get to for the offensive rebounds and loose balls, post moves, all that stuff. I think everything helped me a lot.”
Richard’s newfound comprehension of team and NBA concepts has allowed him to be more vocal and point out the things he sees in practice. “I could have been vocal last year, but at the same time, I didn't see the reason to be vocal if I didn't know what I was doing,” Richard acknowledged. “I didn't want to call out the wrong stuff. This year, I understand everything a lot better. Being vocal now is just me better understanding the NBA game.”
Richard hopes that his newfound confidence and level of understanding leads to more playing time and better on-court results. “I just want to do better than I did last season,” Richard concluded. “Every year I want to get better. I just want to be as productive as I can with the minutes I get.”
Richard, the second-round pick (41st overall) of the Wolves in the 2007 NBA Draft, experienced many of the ups and downs that come with life as a rookie in the NBA; Wavering minutes, inconsistent play and a steep learning curve all culminated in a challenging rookie year for the former Florida Gator.
While not a surprise to him, Richard admits his rookie season was a transition period. "It was a learning process," Richard acknowledged. "I wasn't really surprised because I've been in situations before, like my first year in college, where I've had to learn. It was a tough season for me."
Richard's first season tested not only his physical makeup, but his mental makeup as well. "It was a tough situation for someone like myself who loves to compete and wants to win and help the team win," said Richard. Despite the frustrations, Richard remained patient and hoped his opportunity would come. "I learned a lot about how to stay patient and be ready for your opportunity.”
For Richard, he hopes the opportunity comes sooner rather than later... Soon, as in this season. Richard spent countless hours in the gym this summer; working with Assistant General Manager Fred Hoiberg among others to improve and gain some much needed confidence. Richard says that his tireless work this summer is starting to pay off. "I was here with the coaches and some of the older guys almost every day learning," said Richard. "They've all really helped me to grasp the concepts and what to look out for."
Richard’s hard work and determination in the summer has led to an improved understanding of where to be at the right time, something Richard hopes puts him in a better position to do the little things he needs to do to stay on the court. “I have a better understanding of the game and where to be at the right times,” Richard said. “Also, understanding defensive positioning, where to get to for the offensive rebounds and loose balls, post moves, all that stuff. I think everything helped me a lot.”
Richard’s newfound comprehension of team and NBA concepts has allowed him to be more vocal and point out the things he sees in practice. “I could have been vocal last year, but at the same time, I didn't see the reason to be vocal if I didn't know what I was doing,” Richard acknowledged. “I didn't want to call out the wrong stuff. This year, I understand everything a lot better. Being vocal now is just me better understanding the NBA game.”
Richard hopes that his newfound confidence and level of understanding leads to more playing time and better on-court results. “I just want to do better than I did last season,” Richard concluded. “Every year I want to get better. I just want to be as productive as I can with the minutes I get.”
