Delta State University

Jeremy Richardson's Orlando Magic Profile

ORLANDO, Fla. - No doubt there are plenty of young basketball players pretending to be Kobe Bryant these days.

They’ll mimic his stop-and-go, versatile drives. They’ll copy his pull-up and fade-away jumpers. They’ll imitate his explosive baseline moves for dunks.

But only one young player gets paid to pretend he’s Kobe: former Mad Ants guard Jeremy Richardson.

“Before the series, when we were going over the Lakers’ offense, they’d have me try to mimic him, show his tendencies,” said Richardson, now a full-time NBA player with the Orlando Magic. “I’d just try to show his tendencies in different situations. I’m doing whatever I can to help the team.”

Richardson remains the most talented scorer to play for the Mad Ants during their two seasons. He could create his own shot, whether drives or jumpers, and score from almost any location. He had great range on his jumper, extending to three-point distance. His game did, in a way, resemble Bryant’s, although he is built more like Reggie Miller.

But Richardson was raw, and he needed some extra strength to reach the next level. After spending last year jumping from short contract to short contract, he spent this season in Orlando, improving his game and his physique. He didn’t play much, appearing in only 12 games, but the coaches have encouraged him and told him he’s part of the team’s future plans.

In short, it’s been the best year of Richardson’s basketball life. It helps that he’s getting paid good money, too, with a salary of more than $750,000 a year.

“I’ve been learning a lot and doing what I was doing in Fort Wayne – working hard and trying to be ready when my opportunity comes,” he said.

The chance to be with a team all year – except for one week when he was waived by the Magic – has been a blessing, Richardson said.

The continuity has helped because of regular work with the strength coach, in addition to the daily basketball knowledge imparted from coach Stan Van Gundy and his staff.

Before signing with Orlando, Richardson spent short stints with Atlanta, Portland, Memphis, San Antonio and Atlanta again.

“Being on a good, contending NBA team has really helped me out,” Richardson said. “When I signed with Orlando, they said they saw me in their plans for the future. In my mind, that’s been a real benefit, not worrying about what’s going and us working hard to help the organization.”

Richardson, the first pick in the expansion draft when the Mad Ants joined the D-League, played only 12 games with Fort Wayne during the 2007-08 season, but his impact was significant and immediate.

In those dozen games, he averaged 25.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists. He scored 22 points and was named Most Valuable Player in the D-League All-Star game in New Orleans.

Richardson grew up in Zachary, La., and was raised by his grandparents after his mother died when he was 11. He was a two-time all-conference player at Delta State University in Cleveland, Miss.

His play in the D-League – he played for Fort Worth before Fort Wayne – earned him a look from the NBA. Now he’s on the verge of latching onto a career.

“It’s really a blessing for me to be here, coming from where I came from,” Richardson said. “It’s been a long road. I started from the bottom, and to be where I am is humbling, and it’s really a blessing for me.”

Richardson said the team was greeted by fans before 6 a.m. when it returned from Los Angeles the other day. The Magic cut the Lakers’ series lead to 2-1 with a 108-104 win Tuesday. The series continues at 9 tonight in Orlando.

Richardson said he is grateful for his time in Fort Wayne and the chance to showcase his skills, all part of his growth as a player.

“It all comes from hard work,” Richardson said. “I haven’t been given anything. Before I even got to the NBA, before anybody even knew who I was, I was working hard. It’s just the benefits of hard work and prayer.”

There are certainly worse gigs than getting paid to pretend you’re Kobe Bryant.