Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 43

I suppose I ought really ask - are you enjoying these? Really? I'd like some feedback on this. I mean, even if you don't enjoy them I'm doing them anyway, because despite how tedious it can get trying to find new and exciting ways to list someone's rebounding averages, I've come too far to quit. And I'm also kind of enjoying doing it. But I need to know if you are too. If you're not, please say so, as your opinion is important to us, even if it will be largely ignored.

- Jason Richards is unsigned, perhaps unsurprising due to the knee injury he suffered in training camp that ended his season before it even began. Speaking of, if any Heat fans out there are wondering why Jason's getting a full $442,114 salary from the Heat this year (see salary page), it's not because the Heat signed him to a guaranteed deal. They actually signed him in July to a deal with a small $50,000 guarantee, enough to convince him to choose their training camp over anyone else's. However, because Richards was hurt while directly playing for the team, his contract is guaranteed until such time as he is able to return. And since he's out for the year, that means he's getting paid for the whole of this year. (The same has happened to Mike Wilks, formerly of Orlando and now of Memphis.) It's kind of a bugger for Jason that he's had such a serious knee injury in the first season of his professional career, but the $370,000 extra compensation that he got for his troubles will numb the pain a bit. I can only hope that this doesn't lead to a speight of fringe NBA players signing training camp contracts for nominal or no guaranteed money, just to then take a dive and pick up a fat check for a year. This would be bad, if alarmingly smart.

- Norm Richardson - a legend in my eyes for reasons not even I really understand - has already retired at least once from professional basketball. Clearly it didn't work out, though, because Norm is back and playing in Germany for the insatiable TBB Trier. N (it's like Q, only N) averages 10.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists, numbers that extol the virtues of his greatness better than my mere words ever could.

- Anthony Richardson's senior and junior years at Florida State were far less productive than his junior season, but he began his NBA career in earnest anyway. Richardson didn't play in his first professional season (if that makes sense), but for the 2006/07 season he signed with the fantastically named Butte Daredevils of the CBA. From there he played in the USBL for a bit, where he was a 20ppg scorer, and then went to 2007 training camp with the New Orleans Hornets. Richardson did sufficiently well there that he scooped a training camp spot with the team, although clearly he didn't make the regular season roster. Richardson then buggered off to Germany, where he scored 53 points in 7 games, and is signed this season with Eiffel Towers Den Bosch, a team which you may remember are deceptively located in Holland. Richardson averages 12.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in the Dutch league, along with 15.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in the EuroChallenge.

- Rick Rickert spent the year with the New Zealand Breakers, who equally confusingly play in the Australian NBL. It took me a while to figure this out. Rickert averaged 13.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in the Australian regular season, which has now finished. In the semi final game Friday, which saw the end of the Breakers' season, the Breakers lost 103-97 to the Melbourne Tigers, via 26 points by personal favourite Ebi Ere. Rickert had only 7 points and 10 rebounds.

- Former Cavaliers great Filiberto Rivera is in Germany, playing for Brose Baskets Bamberg. Rivera averages 10.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Per game. Obviously.

- Lawrence Roberts is averaging 11.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in the Eurocup for Crvena Zvezda, alongside 9.8 points and 5.8 rebounds in the Adriatic League. Unfortunately, despite the fact that I'm going to go and watch a Crvena Zvezda game as soon as I finish writing this post, Roberts won't be in it, for he injured himself back on the 7th Feb and is not active at the moment. Bugger. Might go back to bed instead then.

- Dennis Rodman is currently appearing on Celebrity Apprentice, where he has demonstrated a stubborn refusal to bake cakes.

- Rodney Rogers..... :(

- Jalen Rose....... :|

- Bryon Russell is reportedly wanting to mount a comeback at the age of 38. This seems odd, given that he was done at the age of about 32. But good luck with that. I just don't think it will happen.

- Finally, Walker Russell Texas Ranger has emerged from somewhere as being one of the best point guards in the D-League. Russell averages 15.9 points and a league leading 11.4 assists per game for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Is this further evidence of Isiah Thomas's ability to scout young talent? Seems so. Shame about his ability to scout old talent.

The Norm Richardson Version Of The Batman Symbol

Norm Richardson fans, unite. Both of us.

Norman Richardson (196-F/G-77, college: Hofstra) will join the Bundesliga-squad of TBB Trier. Richardson receives a contract for one season. He is 30 years of age and owns a lot of experience in overseas basketball. Since starting his professional career in 2001, Richardson played in Italy, Serbia, Venezuela, France, Argentina and Poland. He also had some appearances for the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls in the NBA. During this past season the native of Brooklyn, New York averaged 15.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 26 games for SPEC Polonia Warszawa of the Polish DBE. He also attended the Polish All-Star Game.

If you, like me, track the career of former NBA afterthought Norm Richardson with a level of exuberance best described as "kinda weird", then this news will bring you great joy. But you probably already it.

Fun Norm Richardsonf act: Norm's already retired once, a few years ago, to pursue "business interests". I guess they went south.

Where Are They Now? Part 31

Still don't know what's wrong.

---

Don Reid hasn't played since leaving Detroit, and while there was rumours of them re-signing him not so long ago, they amounted to nothing.

Jared Reiner is playing for Bamburg in Germany, where he averages roughly 11 points and 8 rebounds.

J.R. Reynolds went undrafted and wound up playing for Vanoli Soresina, a rather poor Italian team. Reynolds averages 17.9 points, 3 and a bit rebounds, and 3 and a bit assists.

Darius Rice is a member of the "Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants" in the Phillipines, which is the greatest name for a sports team ever.

Anthony Richardson started the season for Ludwigsburg in Germany, but left for reasons that I am not sure of. Also playing for Ludwisburg - Vincent Yarborough. Awesome.

Norm "N" Richardson is fantastic, and I tracked his career like an avid fan should. After falling out of the NBA, N went to the D-League with the now-defunct North Charleston Lowgators, where he played out of position for the greater good of the team (professional!) and made Karim Shabazz look better than he was. N then went to France, where he won some kind of cup, and then announced his retirement "to pursue business interests" during the celebrations. It must have gone south, because 4 months later, N unretired and signed in Venezuela. Since then, he's been around the block, got a training camp invite one time with the Toronto Raptors, and continues to try and prove the world how brilliant he really is. This season, Norm was playing for Poloni ain Poland alongside Paul Miller, where he averaged 15.5 points, 5 rebounds and 3.5 assists, demonstrating the all-around game that made him world famous.

Rick Rickert was a member of the New Zealand Breakers this season, a team which is confusingly in Australia and not New Zealand. (No, really, it is. At the very least, it's a New Zealandish team who play in the Australian league. Answers on a postcard.) Rickert missed most of the year with a back injury, and averaged 17.8 points a game in the brief time that he did play. His team mate was former Heat guard Kirk Penney, who averaged 24 points a game. So that's nice.

Filiberto Rivera - or, if you'd prefer, Philip Rivers - is back in hs native Puerto Rico, averaging 11.6 points and 6 assists a game for a team called Baloncesto. His teammates include Bimbo Carmona, and Angela Reyes, that guy who everything thought the Bucks had signed, but they hadn't. (Darius Rice, mentioned above, played 6 games for Baloncesto, averaging 19.2 points and 6.7 rebounds a game. Carmona averages 19.4 ppg and 6.3 rpg.)

Anthony Roberson is playing for Beykozspor in Turkey, and the usual comment about Turkish statistics applies here. (I.E. there are none.)

Lawrence Roberts signed for Olympiakos in Greece for two years back in the summertime, but left before playing a game. I used to know why, but I forgot.

Bernard Robinson was waived by New Orleans immediately after being acquired on the day before opening day, and has not played since season. He may or may not be injured.


BONUS OLUMIDE OYDEJI NEWS: Olumide signed today for Granada in Spain as a replacement for Michael Bradley, who was let go due to being shit. Good times. Well, not for Michael Bradley.