Ryan Richmond (183-PG-1996, college: Bentley, agency: Helping Ballers) is a 28 year old 183cm guard from Toronto, Canada playing his fourth professional season and currently with the Edmonton Stingers of the CEBL league averaging 2,0ppg. He began the season with Melilla Ciudad del Deporte (Spain-LEB Gold) averaging 6.3ppg, 1.8rpg, 2.0apg and then played with the EPG Baskets Koblenz averaging 12,8ppg, 2,4rpg and 1,0apg. He played the last 2 professional seasons in Germany with the WWU Baskets Muenster (Germany-ProB) averaging 17.4ppg, 5.4rpg, 5.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 35.4%, FT: 72.3% and the ART Giants Duesseldorf (Germany-ProA) averaging 15.6ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 45.1%, 3PT: 42.6%, FT: 77.8%. He played his rookie season with MAFC Budapest 2 (Hungary-B). He began his basketball career at David & Mary Thomson Collegiate and the played at Williston Northampton High School. He then played at Bentley College (NCAA2) from 2015-2019 amassing a total of 104 games. He took off in his stats in his last 3 years averaging 21.6ppg, 5.4rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 50.6%, 3PT: 39.4%, FT: 84.6%, 23.6ppg, 4.1rpg, 3.5apg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 37.7%, FT: 80.9% and.0ppg, 4.9rpg, 3.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 46.8%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 89.1%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball during his stay with Koblenz.
Thanks Ryan for talking to germanhoops.com After a short stay in Spain, you came back to Germany with the EPG Baskets Koblenz. Is it fair to say that Germany has become like a second home to you?
Thank you for taking the time to speak to me, I feel very humbled. Yes I am back to Germany and this is my third season here in the country. Germany is definitely very familiar to me, I’ve grown to learn it and feel comfortable here, it’s been my European home.
You have joined a very ambitious team with Koblenz looking to find their route again after the firing of head coach Pat Elzie. In the social media the club has been seen negatively from many. Can you please shed some positive light into how you have experienced the first days?
The club here at Koblenz is very ambitious and has many goals that they want to accomplish. The basketball business isn’t always easy and people will not always understand decisions that are made, I just try to focus on basketball. My first few days and weeks here have been pleasant, I like my teammates and the club has been very welcoming.
On paper the club is very talented, but haven´t shown it in the record all the time. It seems like there are phases in games where the players shut down. What do you feel will get the team back on the winning track?
The team is definitely talented with a lot of potential, but has struggled because of injuries and other basketball related things. As long as the team continues to work hard and follow the plans in place by the coaches, I believe the club will get on track and give ourselves a chance to compete against anybody.
The club has tried many guards this season. How excited are you for taking on this challenge of helping the team be successful?
I’m grateful for any opportunity that I receive to play basketball, it’s a blessing from God I don’t take for granted. I have some experience as a professional now and am aware of what I can bring to the table. I know that much of what I can do on and off the court will be useful for the club.
What has it been like being teammates with German veteran Marvin Heckel? What have you enjoyed most about his game and how do you guys compliment each other best?
Marvin is a great guy, ever since I arrived here we have gotten along really well. He is a very talented guard and I respect his work ethic and approach to the game. He’s been very helpful in my process of understanding the team and the ways things work. I do think we compliment each other well, because we offer different things on the court.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 183cm guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?
Yeah in the basketball world I’m a smaller guard. I have decent athleticism and good strength, but to be productive and separate myself I’ve had to develop a skill set that allows me to stand out in a tall man’s sport. I score the ball well at all levels and can create for others, I try to implement things I see in other small guards, like Chris Paul, Fred Vanfleet, and Jalen Brunson
You have been an explosive scorer since your second season at Bentley (NCAA). What other strengths do you have besides scoring the ball?
I have been blessed enough to be in situations where I was looked at to score, and as a result I developed quickly in that area. My coach in college Jay Lawson played a pivotal role in me growing as a scorer. I can also be a playmaker at the lead guard position, I can rebound and defend at my position, and I am growing as a leader more and more.
In Munster you averaged 5,2apg. How developed would you call your playmaking skills at the moment? Do you feel when asked you could average 5-6 assists anywhere?
In Munster I was in a position where I was asked to be the lead guard. I thank my coach Bjorn Harmsen for teaching me a lot about being a point guard and bringing out abilities he saw in me as a point guard. Because I can score the ball well, I am often asked to play off the ball, but in a situation where there are other good perimeter scorers an I can focus on being a point guard I believe I could average 5-6 assists comfortably
What kind of defender are you now and what kind of defender do you still want to become?
I would say that I am a good on ball defender that can keep his matchup in front of him. I also have the physicality to guard bigger players on the perimeter and post. As my understanding of the game increases I would like to become a defender that can change the momentum of the game on defense even if I can’t contribute much on offense.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now and you continue to grow as a player?
Everything, I don’t ever think I will get to a point where I feel like a skill doesn’t need work. Always working on my shooting from midrange and three, ball handling, etc. I am watching a lot more film now to grow mentally. I feel like the next step for me is to understand the game deeper to take my game to the next level.
You began the season with Melilla Ciudad del Deporte (Spain-LEB Gold) averaging 6.3ppg, 1.8rpg, 2.0apg. What kind of an experience was Leb Gold? You actually were pretty efficient in 15 minutes time. Do you feel like you didn´t get a fair chance there?
Leb Gold was a good experience, it is a high level of basketball with some very good and experienced players. I don’t want to speak negatively about anybody, I will just say that my experience there was everything it needed to be. Of course I expected things to go differently based on what I was told before going there but the experience taught me a lot about basketball as a business and more importantly me as a person.
How would you rate the Leb Gold in comparison to the Pro A. Is Leb Gold that much better than the Pro A? It doesn´t seem to have more Americans but are the quality of the Spanish players better than the German in pro A?
Both leagues are quite good, there are just some distinct differences that I think separate the two. There is more parity in the Pro A, on any night a team has a chance to beat another team, in Leb Gold it is usually the same teams fighting for the top 4-5 5 spots. Germany also has German rules for players but Spain does not, there are also contonu players that add a different element to Spain as well. Like you said there are some very high level domestic Spanish players also
Last season you played with the ART Giants Duesseldorf (Germany-ProA) averaging 15.6ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 45.1%, 3PT: 42.6%, FT: 77.8%. What was it like being teammates with Booker Coplin? Have you ever been teammates with a more high energy player than him?
– I had an overall good experience in Dusseldorf, I had a successful year and played with some great guys, Booker was one of them. He is definitely one of the most energetic players I’ve played with, more than that, his approach is very admirable. He is very passionate and plays very hard, on top of being very talented, that’s why he’s been successful.
Two seasons ago you played with the WWU Baskets Muenster (Germany-ProB) averaging 17.4ppg, 5.4rpg, 5.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 35.4%, FT: 72.3%. How cool was moving up and what memories do you have of the final series losing to Orange Academy?
That was a special year for me, after my rookie season was cut short in 2019-20, I didn’t play basketball for over a year during the pandemic. Munster gave me an opportunity to get back to Europe and play, so I will forever be grateful to them. I made some great relationships and learned a lot from a great coach in Bjorn. We tied a Pro B record for wins in a regular season and some other cool stuff, it was unfortunate we didn’t reach our ultimate goal, but the orange academy just gave us some matchup problems we couldn´t overcome.
What did Jasper Guenther mean to the success and you in your first season in Germany?
Jasper was like my little brother during the season, we did a lot of things together and built a bond. He was a young and talented point guard, with a lot of talent and potential. I was lucky to have him as a teammate.
You played your rookie season with MAFC Budapest 2 (Hungary-B). What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?
It wasn’t too difficult of a transition because I had already left home to go to university. I just remember being shocked by the intensity of the training by my Hungarian coach. It was also difficult being in a place where you needed a translator and hardly understood what was being said. Basketball wise, I had to adjust to a new style of play which took time, but I figured it out and was able to be really successful.
You didn´t play in the 19-20 season. How tough was Covid and what did you do that year? Did you get a job and also live in the gym?
It was extremely challenging to not play the 2020-21 season. Covid was a crazy time and made it even harder for a young professional to find the right situation. I was blessed enough to have gym access throughout the entire time as well as work, so I kept on developing without problem while I was home.
Before Bentley you played at Williston Northampton High School. What memories do you have of playing against Avon Old Farms school?
Playing at WIlliston Northampton for my post-grad year of high school was a really great experience both on and off the court. The team was able to accomplish a lot of things and ultimately win a NEPSAC championship. I remember Avon being a pretty good team, it was a long time ago so there aren’t many details.
You played at Bentley (NCAA2) from 2015-2019 and exploded in your last 3 years averaging 23,0ppg. How did your game grow in those last 3 years?
Yeah, for the last three years of college I averaged 23 PPG, it’s something that I’m proud of and helped me solidify a great college career. More importantly I’m grateful I had a head coach, an assistant coach and teammates that helped me become the player I was in college. I trained very hard during the year and summer during those years and I had great instruction from my coaches. They trusted me and put me in positions to grow, make mistakes, and learn. I owe it to God for putting me in the perfect situation
You had so many great highs coring games including against Franklin Pierce and Stonehill, but what do you remember being your fondest moment on the court?
There are a few individual games that stand out in college for me. The first would probably be my first college basket, my 1000th point which also consisted of a game winning shot, breaking the school record with 45 points as a sophomore, and scoring my 2000th point at home with my family in attendance. Receiving the NABC All-American honor my senior year is the most special accolade
What memories do you have of Jordan Mello-Klein? He mentions you in his 5 best teammates of all-time?
The bond Jordan and I share goes far beyond basketball, he is like a brother to me. When he came to college I tried my best to help mentor him and be a good teammate and that blossomed into a great friendship. He is a very good basketball player, seeing him develop into the player he is now, has been great to watch. I would also mention him in my top 5 favorite teammates of all time
How did head coach Jay Lawson groom and prepare you best for a professional career?
Coach Jay Lawson taught me so much about the game, he taught me the importance of playing it the right way and what it means to have a manly approach to the sport. He’s a student of the game, who gave me insight any chance he had. More importantly, he taught me so much about who I needed to be as a man to not only thrive as a basketball player but as a person. One of the hardest working humans I’ve ever been around and other than my father, no other male has had such a profound impact on my life.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Jordan Mello-Klein?
Jordan has never beat me in 1 vs 1 and will never beat me lol
Who was the toughest player that you ever faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA?
that’s a difficult question. I’ve played against a lot of talented players growing up and into college, some have had brief moments in the NBA or play high level European competition. At the guard position every night you might face someone with a lot of talent
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
My top 5 best teammates are based off of ability as well as connection that we shared while playing. Kieran Hamilton, Jordan mello-klein, Zach Gilpin, Tyler Mcfarland, and Keegan Hyland
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?
Lebron, Jordan, Kobe, Kareem
Who is your GOAT and why?
Lebron, I believe he has mastered the game of basketball. He knows the game better than any other player, he has the ability to pass, score, defend, rebound, and has done it for 21 years without slowing down. He’s accomplished anything and everything in the sport.
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?
I did see it and I do believe some classics are better to be left alone.
Thanks Ryan for the chat
German Hoops 