Payton Pritchard is having a Player of the Year-type of season. His play alone is enough to drag the Ducks to wins against most teams. But because of Oregon’s over-reliance on the talented veteran point guard, the spotlight becomes brighter in the moments without him as the Ducks frantically search for a secondary playmaker.
That’s where Will Richardson shines.
Oregon has a bevy of players who can get hot and keep Oregon in a game if needed. But in Oregon’s biggest home game of the season against the Arizona Wildcats, it was the Ducks’ sixth man who stepped up when Pritchard just didn’t seem to have it going on offense.
In Oregon’s one-point win, Richardson put up a career-high 21 points.
“I’ve been playing clutch games for a long time,” he said. “I actually like it better when it’s close because then you know it’s do or die, you really can’t miss.”
When it mattered, he didn’t miss. Richardson carried the team in a way that no Duck besides Pritchard had done thus far.
What was most impressive was not his career-high, rather that along the way, he never stopped doing the little things which have made him a crucial piece of the Ducks’ rotation over the last year and a half.
As a freshman, Richardson looked understandably timid on offense, often shying away from attacking the rim and even passing up open threes.
But when the scantily built, 6-foot-5 freshman took the court, Oregon’s play often improved. He injected a level of competitiveness and unselfishness into the game at every turn.
In a sometimes-stagnant Oregon offense, his ball movement was infectious. On the other end, his length, instincts and communication skills helped him perform at a high level on a team that prioritized winning with stifling defense.
“I know I’m not going to be the leading scorer on the team,” he said after last year’s round one win over Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament. “I just try to play as hard and as good as I can when I’m on the court. After we win, I go home and prepare for the next game. Right now, it’s not about the stats, it’s about winning.”
In a stacked recruiting class that featured now-NBA players Louis King and Bol Bol, Richardson was the only one to play all 38 games, starting 12 of them. His role fluctuated between starter and sixth man, yet his mindset never wavered.
This year it’s clear he feels more comfortable, more confident. He’s at peace with his role and has become more aggressive on offense, averaging over four points more than last season while playing three more minutes per night.
“Will has been invaluable to our team this year,” Altman said. “He’s done a tremendous job.”
Altman isn’t one to effusively praise his players, especially young ones. When he goes out of his way to do so, it means something.
“You know Will, if you track his year, he has been as consistent as anybody for us,” he said. “Shooting percentages are very good.”
They aren’t just good, they’re great. Richardson’s drastic uptick in efficiency prove he’s been working on his game. The sophomore is shooting better from the floor, beyond the arc and at the free throw line, with the latter two up by nearly 20% each — rare marks for anyone.
The most promising part of it all is how young he still is, and how much further he can grow.
“I’m not playing my best basketball,” Richardson said. “ I’m playing much better than I was at the beginning of the year, but nah, not even close. I’ve got a whole bunch more.”
For now, Richardson is doing plenty, and should his trajectory continue upward, he’ll be a force for a Ducks team that could enjoy another deep run in March. And before he knows it, he’ll be the starter, likely leading a young Oregon squad in the post-Pritchard years.
