Anthony Richardson pulls up to pickup basketball game Indianapolis
Watch what happens when a top four rookie draft pick unexpectedly shows up at your pickup basketball game. Let’s just say Anthony Richardson‘s got game.
This moment was documented by James Boyd, who covers Richardson and the Indianapolis Colts for The Athletic. Anthony Richardson also showed up to play, from his dunks to his outside shots.
From Boyd: via Twitter: “pulled up for a hoop session today and apparently Colts rookie QB Anthony Richardson had the same idea. No stopping him in transition!
“Lol I matched up with him a couple times, once on a fast break. I stopped and shot the 3 because I know he would’ve Lebron-ed my layup!
“I kid you not,” Boyd wrote. “AR’s first bucket of the day was a reverse alley-oop. Super effortless!! Also had this nasty put-back dunk after someone missed a 3.”
Boyd offered one more detail about Anthony Richardson’s pickup game.
“Oh, and perhaps the coolest thing about this random encounter is that no one treated him like AR. Didn’t get swarmed for autographs or photos, didn’t have to answer a bunch of Colts questions. Literally just hoopin!! Lol it’s good for the soul!”
That’s a good sign for Richardson, who probably is feeling extra pressure as the Colts premiere pick in this year’s draft. The Florida quarterback was the No. 4 player overall, but the third quarterback off the board behind Bryce Young (Carolina) and CJ Stroud (Houston).
The Colts have used such lofty picks on quarterbacks in past drafts, namely Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck. Both those players were the No. 1 picks of their respectice drafts. And Manning and Luck started every game as rookies.
Meanwhile, Richardson still is very raw. Although he has incredible athleticism, he hasn’t had much of an opportunity to show it off on the field. He started only 13 career games with the Gators. The Colts signed Gardner Minshew as a just-in-case QB. He already knows the offense installed by new head coach Shane Steichen, since Minshew and Steichen were both with the Eagles last year.
Indy owner Jim Irsay concedes Richardson may have a tough season, if only because he has such little experience.
“But he has to play to get better, Irsay said on the Pat McAfee Show. “I mean, there’s no question. Gardner could play come out and obviously play better early on, just being a veteran, but we have to get Anthony on the field. That’s Shane’s call when he decides to do it.”