Ryan has NBA formula
Basketball
A former NBA basketballer is behind a new club in Kent.
Ryan Richards, originally from Medway, was drafted by San Antonio Spurs in 2010.
He went to America via Spain after leaving home aged 15 to play professional basketball.
Moving away was the only option to get his career going but Richards, 28, says it’s different for today’s young players after launching the Kent Panthers. Joined by some top coaches, the 7ft star led under-14 and under-18 trials at Maidstone Leisure Centre over the weekend.
He spotted some real talent and is confident the Panthers will fare well in the National Basketball League.
Richards said: “The trials were a huge success. The kids really competed, they got it together and now we’ve got a good 18s team. “We had no players but after two days we’ve built a team who can be in the top four of the league. “We’ve got a good 14s team, too, and we’re going to develop them over the next three or four years. “I say to people now, ‘I can help you get to where you want to be but then it’s down to you’. “When I was a kid there was no way of going to the NBA from Kent.
“I had to go to Spain but you don’t have to do that any more because we’ve got the structure here. “I can look at a kid in two minutes and tell you if he’s got talent.
“It’s then the mental side, do they really want it, are they a good team-mate, are they positive, do they pick people up when they’re down?
“I look for all those aspects with older kids.
“With the younger ones, it’s about talent and interest to start with. “All the kids can look you up and see your achievements and it’s motivation for them.
“When I’m talking, they’re locked in and listening.” Richards is one of few British players to be drafted by an NBA team.
It was a fine achievement for a kid from Kent.
He said: “I was in Spain and an agent came to see me and said, ‘we’re going to take you to America and test you’.
“I really turned some heads, I had interest from the NBA and it snowballed from there.
“It was amazing. I went into draft workout and blew people away.”
The beat Hampshire by four wickets with one ball to spare at Beckenham.
Asked to bat first, Hampshire lost Aneurin Donald for seven, caught at mid-off by Heino Kuhn off Fred Klaassen. Rilee Rossouw went for 15 before falling to Hardus Viljoen, who took 3-15 on the day.
Adam Milne finished with figures of 3-21, which included the wicket of Hampshire captain James Vince for 41. The visitors were left at 58-3, eventually closing on 135 all out.
Daniel Bell-Drummond fell for 21 off 13 balls in reply.
Ollie Robinson was stumped for five by Lewis McManus, before Zak Crawley was run out for 22.
Mohammad Nabi added 14 to the tally only to be caught at deep cover in the 15th, leaving Kent on 87-4.
Kuhn and Alex Blake put on 32 between them when the latter was caught at long-on on the first ball of the 19th, with the score 119-5.
Kent’s chase was dealt a scare as Kuhn hit a full toss to extra cover on the first ball of the final over to depart on 41. Milne then hit two, four and another two off his first three deliveries, before
Grant Stewart was forced to retire injured after pulling a hamstring as he sprinted back for two at the bowler’s end.
Needing two runs off the final two balls, Milne top-edged a pull for four to seal the win. Kent’s winning start to the competition finally came to an end last Friday as they were beaten by nine wickets at Hove.
Invited to bat first, the Spitfires posted 158-4, with skipper Bell-Drummond contributing 50 from 36 balls.
Needing 155 to win, Sussex made light work of the reply, with contributions from Luke Wright (38), Phil Salt (63 not out) and Laurie Evans, with an unbeaten 63 from 44 balls.
On Thursday night, the Spitfires were 28-run winners against Middlesex at Lord’s. Blake (66 not out) and Kuhn (54 not out) saw Kent to 204-4.
Middlesex were then restricted to 176-7.