{"id":4042,"date":"2019-10-30T21:41:59","date_gmt":"2019-10-30T21:41:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wooter.com\/articles\/2019-10-29-wooter-athlete-of-the-month-shane-richards-rba-showcase-sioux-falls-skyforce\/"},"modified":"2019-10-30T21:41:59","modified_gmt":"2019-10-30T21:41:59","slug":"2019-10-29-wooter-athlete-of-the-month-shane-richards-rba-showcase-sioux-falls-skyforce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wooter.com\/articles\/2019-10-29-wooter-athlete-of-the-month-shane-richards-rba-showcase-sioux-falls-skyforce\/","title":{"rendered":"Wooter Athlete Of The Month: Shane Richards (RBA Showcase, Sioux Falls Skyforce)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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From Way Downtown: Manhattan College\u2019s career leader in three point shooting has gone from the NBA G League, to Poland, and excelled this offseason at the RBA Showcase at Basketball City. Now the former Jasper is back to the G League after earning a training camp invite with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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As a rising high school Senior at York Prep, Shane Richards wasn\u2019t afraid to be a straight shooter when talking about the recruiting process for a student-athlete. Back then, the New York native was being recruited heavily by college programs the likes of Lehigh, DePaul, Cornell, and Manhattan College among others. <\/p>\n

\u201cI am just trying to have fun out there, win games, and play hard,\u201d Richards said confidently in 2011 while attending the Hoop Group Elite camp.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am here to prove I am one of the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eight years later, the proof of Richards\u2019 own elite ability as a professional player has taken him from a record-setting three point shooter at Manhattan College, to a slashing swingman in Poland and in the NBA G League, to continuing to grow his game throughout the offseason. For Richards, that growth on the court took place over the summer at The Basketball Tournament on the Jaspers\u2019 alumni squad (Team Draddy) and at the RBA Sports & Technology Showcase at Basketball City, in New York City. <\/p>\n

Over the past 10 years, RBA Sports has hosted the annual showcase event (along with partners like Dr. Dish, Morgan Stanley, and NY Sports Science Lab<\/a> who were featured on the customized RBA Showcase jerseys and uniforms from Wooter Apparel) that provides RBA athletes, aspiring, and current professional basketball players with a unique opportunity to compete in front of NBA and international teams. Within that time 12 showcase players have signed NBA contracts (along with 3 two-way) and over 75 players signed to play in the NBA G League after competing at the Showcase, including Luke Petrasek signing with the Charlotte Hornets, the Houston Rockets inking Ronshad Shabazz to a two-way contract (Rio Grande Valley Vipers), and Norvel Pelle dunking his way<\/a> to a two-way contract with the Delaware Blue Coats and Philadelphia 76ers<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Once again the 6-foot-5 Richards walked the talk, all while expanding his game beyond being a deep threat on the floor. <\/p>\n

After filling it up in a hurry for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers against the Texas Legends<\/a>, it was clear that Richards stroke was as deadly as ever. It\u2019s the same big shot ability that made him one of the most prolific shooters in Manhattan College history. Richards set a school record for three-pointers made in a season with 92 during the 2014-15 season, remains the career leader with 312 three pointers, and graduated ranked eighth in school history with 1,472 career points. In 2016, Richards was selected in the NBA G League Draft (24th overall by the Erie Bayhawks) and played for the Vipers, before signing overseas in Poland with Stargard. <\/p>\n

Thanks to his strong showing at the RBA Showcase and his forte for hitting from outside, the Sioux Falls Skyforce (G League affiliate for the Miami Heat) signed Richards to their 2019-20 training camp roster. As the Wooter Athlete of the Month, Shane recently shared his experience from Manhattan College, to adjusting to life playing overseas, and how this past summer proved to be his most productive offseason yet. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis summer has been all about focusing on playing in the G League. I basically isolated myself from any distractions, and just focused on getting ready for this season by working hard.\u201d – Shane Richards, on his approach to training camp and the 2019-20 NBA G League season with the Sioux Falls Skyforce<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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It’s been almost four years now that you left Manhattan and turned professional, playing in the G League and internationally. What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned about yourself and the game of basketball within that time?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I think the mental aspect of the game is where I\u2019ve learned and improved the most. It\u2019s a big adjustment going from college to the pros, especially if you choose the overseas route. It\u2019s not easy to go to a foreign country where everything is different, it will break you if you\u2019re not prepared mentally. That\u2019s one area that I feel that I\u2019ve mastered in my time as a professional, just being able to stay mentally strong in situations that aren\u2019t ideal. <\/p>\n

You’ve always been known as a great outside shooter — since coming out of York Prep, setting records in college for the Jaspers, and now showing you can fill it up from outside as a pro. What do you feel has contributed to you being successful in that role as a guy who knock it down from anywhere?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have always had a ridiculous work ethic. That\u2019s really the only thing I can attribute to my success. I truly believe that I am one of the hardest working people on the planet; and just through time in the gym with constant repetition, I was able to build myself into an elite shooter. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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