Patrick Ewing Helped Turn Kentucky Into A Top-10 Team In The Country And Nick Richards Into Kicking Everyone's Ass ... Wait, What?

[The Athletic] - He isn’t big on helping the competition and he’s a little salty Richards didn’t just come play for him in the first place, he said with a laugh. But his first advice was to trust the other Naismith Hall of Famer that Richards works with every day, John Calipari, “a great coach who knows what he’s doing with those guys.” Ewing had gotten to know some of Richards’ story watching the 2018 HBO documentary “Student Athlete,” in which Richards as a high school recruit acknowledged his plan for college was to be one-and-done. When that didn’t happen, doubt crept in and criticism came like a flood.

Naturally, basketball power broker William “Worldwide” Wesley, who knows everyone in the game and has been best friends with Kentucky assistant Kenny Payne since college in the late 1980s, connected Richards and Ewing.

Listen, I know John Calipari and World Wide Wes already said to the Knicks, but it's cool that the Knicks are out here helping the Gold Standard. Can't say I blame them, probably nice to see some winning from time to time. That said, Patrick Ewing just became a legend again for me. Sure, he's the best player the Knicks ever had in my lifetime and might be the best player in franchise history, but now he's out here helping Kentucky? That's just an A+ move. 

And guess what? Not only did it work, it's a LARGE reason why Nick Richards is a potential All-American, potential SEC Player of the Year and Kentucky is a national title contender (again). Nick Richards is in the conversation for best center in America. I'm not just saying that, other coaches in the SEC have said it. The guy went from playing 12 minutes per game as a sophomore and averaging 4 ppg, to playing 30+ and averaging 14.5 ppg/8.1 rpg/2.3 bpg. He's also turned into this: 

Which gave us an all-time Calipari picture, of which I'm grateful for. Out here looking like Coach Marty Daniels from Blue Mountain State: 

And shout out Patrick Ewing. Obviously he wanted Richards to come to Georgetown. Obviously he's helping out what is perceived as competition. But by God am I happy he seems to like Calipari. Where would Kentucky be without Nick Richards? The dude is one of the most reliable players in the country. Not only that, but it's especially true considering Kentucky has a lack of depth in the frontcourt. 

So shout out Patrick Ewing. I already said he was doing the best coaching job in the country considering everything that has gone on at Georgetown with guys leaving and injuries yet they are still on the bubble. Now he's out here helping turn Nick Richards into an All-American and telling him to listen to John Calipari.