Arriving in the NBA requires a lot of adaptation. The professional world is therefore a huge step for young players who compete at the highest level and have to face a very different championship.
This is what he realized Josh Richardson during his rookie season in Miami having to adapt to Erik Spoelstra's working methods.
“I came into the league, and I couldn’t shoot. I was just an athletic defender. I go to the gym on a day without a match and without training,” remembers the Heat player. “And there’s literally no coach, no one in there. So I find an intern… I work and there’s no one, I do my thing. I shoot 3-pointers and I'm done. I look around and I see Spo (Erik Spoelstra) coming in… He tells me to keep going and then he says, 'Get in the corner, 100 3-pointers.' I'm like, 'Coach, I'm already done. What do you mean ?' »
With the cameras at the Heat's training center, Erik Spoelstra monitored his player before coming to give him additional homework. Exercise ? Successful 70 of his 100 shots from the corner.
“So I go around and I do about 60 out of 100, which is horrible for completely open shots,” continues Josh Richardson. “ Spo says: 'Cross the field ten times.' I'm like, 'What?' But, I do it and I come back. He tells me to go back, another 100 3-pointers. I'm like, 'What do you mean?' He adds: 'You have to put on 70 before you can get out of here'… So, I go back, I put on 65. 'Cross ten more times!' »
Fight against yourself
Work ethic is also what often happens in high-level sport. The Heat coach wanted to demonstrate the importance of a job well done. And again for the one who returned to the Heat this year.
“'We're going there straight away,' continues Erik Spoelstra. I say, 'Coach, I'm going to pass out.' He said to me: 'You have to fight'. But I tell him, 'There's no one here I can do it with.' He adds 'With yourself'… Okay, that makes sense. So I'm going back. I'm at 66 for 95. Then I was at 69 for 99, and the last one hits the hoop… I say all the words you can think of, throwing the ball… 'Give me ten more! says Spoelstra'. »
A lesson quickly learned by Josh Richardson, because he had a 46% success rate from afar during his rookie year.
“I go for it, I come back, I finally did 70 the next time. Then he talks to me, he says: 'This is how you should approach things. If you want to play,' because I'm not playing yet, 'You better be ready and that's how you have to approach things, you have to practice and work harder.' »
| Josh Richardson | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2015-16 | MIA | 52 | 21 | 45.2 | 46.1 | 66.7 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 6.6 |
| 2016-17 | MIA | 53 | 31 | 39.4 | 33.0 | 77.9 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 10.2 |
| 2017-18 | MIA | 81 | 33 | 45.1 | 37.8 | 84.5 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 12.9 |
| 2018-19 | MIA | 73 | 35 | 41.2 | 35.7 | 86.1 | 0.7 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 16.6 |
| 2019-20 | PHL | 55 | 31 | 43.0 | 34.1 | 80.9 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 13.7 |
| 2020-21 | DAL | 59 | 30 | 42.7 | 33.0 | 91.7 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 3.3 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 12.1 |
| 2021-22 * | All Teams | 65 | 25 | 43.8 | 41.5 | 88.9 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 10.3 |
| 2021-22 * | BOS | 44 | 25 | 44.3 | 39.7 | 85.9 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 9.7 |
| 2021-22 * | SAN | 21 | 24 | 42.9 | 44.4 | 94.6 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 11.4 |
| 2022-23 * | All Teams | 65 | 24 | 43.1 | 36.5 | 85.2 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 10.1 |
| 2022-23 * | SAN | 42 | 24 | 43.6 | 35.7 | 88.3 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 11.5 |
| 2022-23 * | NOP | 23 | 23 | 41.9 | 38.4 | 76.2 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 7.5 |
| 2023-24 | MIA | 43 | 26 | 44.4 | 34.7 | 94.4 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 9.9 |
| Total | 546 | 29 | 42.9 | 36.4 | 84.6 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 11.6 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
