Quentin Richardson Heat Interview
By Randy Zellea | Feb. 22, 2010
After a multiple stops this summer on his trade tour, Quentin Richardson finally landed in Miami, where he has emerged as an important contributor for the 29-28 Heat. Q-Rich has been a starter for 50 of the team's 51 games, averaging 8.2 points and 4.8 rebounds.
Feeling at home with the Heat, Richardson recently spoke with Randy Zellea of InsideHoops.com about the team, playing with consistency, and what he does in his spare time.
InsideHoops.com: After getting traded multiple times, how do you feel about being with the Heat?
Richardson:: I feel pretty good. I got shipped around a little bit during the off season. I am lucky though, because I landed in a great situation down here in Miami. I am doing all I can to make the most of what was a weird situation.
InsideHoops.com: Talk about how last year was different from this year.
Richardson:: Me as a veteran being in the situation I was in last season, I feel my talents were not used to its maximum capabilities. The Knicks were not competing for a championship. They were making decisions based on salaries and preparing for the big free agent sweepstakes this summer. This is a much better situation for me, being on a team that has higher goals and are playoff-bound. All the moves made here are geared for competing, not salary structure.
InsideHoops.com: You seem to be playing more consistently. Is this because you know what your role is?
Richardson:: Yes! That is on the money, consistency. That was definitely a breath of fresh air. Seeing how coach breaks down the rotation and communicates the expectation level. This shows a high level of professionalism, which I appreciate. Coach does not have to use some of the of the methods that he does. He lets us know what our playing time situation is and what we have to do to get more. Then he leaves it to the players to earn their minutes. It's on us as players to earn our time and to get what we want.
InsideHoops.com: What are your feelings on the Heat organization as a whole?
Richardson:: I love this organization from top to bottom. The Heat are definitely are one of the top organizations in the NBA. The way this team handles their business is much more professional than I am used to dealing with. It is like a breath of fresh air. They want to have a championship caliber team every season. I love and want to be a part of that.
InsideHoops.com: What do you like to do in your free time in Miami?
Richardson:: Not much. I try to relax and hang out. I really don't golf or anything like that. Chris Quinn used to golf here all the time and he always tried to get us to go. I love the weather and enjoy it as much as I can. It's another perk about being down in Miami.
|