{"id":130204,"date":"2025-03-23T10:07:14","date_gmt":"2025-03-23T14:07:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=130204"},"modified":"2025-03-24T11:10:16","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T15:10:16","slug":"2025-nba-draft-kadary-richmond-scouting-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/03\/23\/2025-nba-draft-kadary-richmond-scouting-report\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 NBA Draft: Kadary Richmond Scouting Report"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>With Rick Pitino\u2019s troops failing to storm back against the John Calipari-led Razorbacks, who built a double-digit lead midway through the second half, the Red Storm are now <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/03\/22\/arkansas-st-johns-upset-whats-next\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">eliminated from the 2025 NCAA Tournament<\/a>. One of the major storylines of the matchup is that Calipari, considered Pitino\u2019s coaching rival, will be headed to the Sweet 16 for an eye-popping 16th time. Considering that it\u2019s the first season that the former Kentucky Wildcats head coach has been with Arkansas, that achievement is even more of a head-turner.<\/p>\n<p>The other big storyline involves St. John\u2019s point guard <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cbb\/players\/kadary-richmond-1.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kadary Richmond<\/a>, whose last collegiate game didn\u2019t end on the best note. He went just 2-7 from the field. With just over six minutes remaining and his team down three points, he fouled out. It was a controversial call, but debating it doesn\u2019t change the outcome.<\/p>\n<p>Now, the fifth-year senior will presumably test the NBA Draft waters.<\/p>\n<h2>2025 NBA Draft: Kadary Richmond Scouting Report<\/h2>\n<p>Richmond has been a prominent figure in the NCAA since his freshman season.<\/p>\n<p>A Brooklyn native who committed to Syracuse, he was ranked as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-sports\/basketball\/recruiting\/player\/_\/id\/235149\/kadary-richmond\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the fourth-best high school recruit<\/a> in New York by ESPN. Listed at 6-foot-5 coming out of Brewster Academy, he quickly proved himself to be a smooth two-way playmaker. In what was just his second game, he recorded 16 points, seven rebounds, six assists, four blocks, and three steals as the Orange won by 30.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, the biggest change has been his jersey.<\/p>\n<p>After his freshman season, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mens-college-basketball\/story\/_\/id\/31167739\/syracuse-orange-kadary-richmond-robert-braswell-john-bol-ajak-leaving-program\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">he transferred to Seton Hall<\/a>, where he was a full-time starter. He might not have had that same role had he stayed at Syracuse, where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cbb\/players\/joseph-girardiii-1.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Joseph Girard<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cbb\/players\/buddy-boeheim-1.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Buddy Boeheim<\/a> were entrenched as starters. In 2024, he <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/05\/07\/kadary-richmond-transfers-big-east-rival\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">transferred to St. John\u2019s<\/a> to play for Pitino on a NIL contract <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nj.com\/sports\/2025\/02\/st-johns-rick-pitino-wants-his-moneys-worth-from-kadary-richmond-we-gave-him-a-very-large-contract.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">in the high-six figures<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>With that being said, his counting stats progressed steadily in that time. As a freshman, he averaged 6.3 points, 3.1 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. His senior season, he averaged 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game.<\/p>\n<p>In the 2024-25 regular season, he averaged 12.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. Yet, his turnovers were down and his blocks were up. He also recorded the program\u2019s first triple-double since Ron Artest (now known as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/artesro01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Metta Sandiford-Artest<\/a>) in 1999.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Have a day Kadary Richmond \ud83d\udc4f <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/StJohnsBBall?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@StJohnsBBall<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/WtOd8HabUy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/WtOd8HabUy<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 CBS Sports College Basketball \ud83c\udfc0 (@CBSSportsCBB) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CBSSportsCBB\/status\/1898472501648240808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">March 8, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>His only issue, save for a single season, is that he struggles knocking down shots outside of the paint. He\u2019s a career 30.7 percent 3-point shooter, taking just 1.4 attempts per game. He\u2019s a career 70.7 percent free-throw shooter but has two seasons shooting below 70 percent from the charity stripe.<\/p>\n<h3>NBA Projection<\/h3>\n<p>If he wants to play in a league that values the 3-ball tremendously, his issue dialing in from long-distance isn\u2019t ideal. Nevertheless, it isn\u2019t the nail in his NBA coffin. \u00a0With everything else he brings to the table, not even close.<\/p>\n<p>It starts with Richmond\u2019s basketball IQ, court vision and passing ability at 6-foot-6, his current listed height. At the defensive end he can guard multiple positions with his physique.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Meet Kadary Richmond, the leader of St. John\u2019s LOCKDOWN defense \u2b50\ufe0f<\/p>\n<p>The 6-foot-6 point guard is one of our 10 Semifinalists for Naismith Men\u2019s College Defensive Player of the Year presented by <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/moleculesleep?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@moleculesleep<\/a> \ud83c\udfc6<\/p>\n<p>St John\u2019s is ranked 2nd in the nation in defensive efficiency per\u2026 <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/sbaqPAItLN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/sbaqPAItLN<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Naismith Awards (@NaismithTrophy) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NaismithTrophy\/status\/1901332773765337120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">March 16, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Yet, he also has fast hands and knows where to position himself to be an effective event-creator. This actually aids him offensively, as he likes to push the pace.<\/p>\n<p>With his size and skillset, Richmond is comparable to Orlando Magic point guard <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/blackan01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Anthony Black<\/a>, the sixth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. So far as being a reliable scoring option, Black is <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/11\/22\/magic-lottery-pick-anthony-black-warcraft\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">a work in progress<\/a>. However, he\u2019s already viewed as a strong perimeter defender, especially at his position.<\/p>\n<p>Richmond is older than Black was at the time of the draft, so he\u2019s unlikely to get selected as high. Nowadays, top-10 spots are typically reserved for prospects with the best combination of youth, potential, and NBA-readiness. In fact, older players are prone to getting selected in the second round, if not going undrafted.<\/p>\n<p>That could be Richmond\u2019s destiny. However, given his popularity, the NBA salivating over supersized point guards, and the fascination with the St. John\u2019s program under Pitino, his name could generate a lot more buzz than other super seniors. Frankly though, he\u2019s talented enough to where scouts shouldn\u2019t need to swayed by what\u2019s on the periphery.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a9 Kyle Ross-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With Rick Pitino\u2019s troops failing to storm back against the John Calipari-led Razorbacks, who built a double-digit lead midway through the second half, the Red Storm are now eliminated from the 2025 NCAA Tournament. One of the major storylines of the matchup is that Calipari, considered Pitino\u2019s coaching rival, will be headed to the Sweet [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5008,"featured_media":130220,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[773,1608,62,556,17],"tags":[4755,887,49099,832,1242],"class_list":["post-130204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-college-basketball","category-basketball","category-nba","category-nba-draft","category-magic","tag-anthony-black","tag-john-calipari","tag-kadary-richmond","tag-ncaa-tournament","tag-rick-pitino"],"modified_by":"Quenton S Albertie","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5008"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=130204"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130204\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":130407,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130204\/revisions\/130407"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/130220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=130204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=130204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=130204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}