How NC State basketball assistant coach Kareem Richardson’s past could help Wolfpack

Kareem Richardson’s interest in coaching began because of his father, and he molded and honed that interest through summers working at Rick Pitino’s basketball camps at Kentucky as a college athlete.

Richardson worked at the basketball camp for five years throughout his college career, soaking up as much knowledge as possible. Pitino’s up-tempo, pressing style of basketball captivated Richardson at a time when most colleges were running things at a slower pace. The former head coach at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, who worked under Pitino at Louisville with Kevin Keatts, should be in position to help N.C. State immediately in his first season as an assistant on Keatts’ Wolfpack staff.

Richardson not only brings prior experience working with Keatts to his new role in Raleigh, but knowledge accumulated from his 12 prior coaching stops.

“I’ve been around coaches that were really good offensive (coaches), and some really good defensive (coaches), and I mesh that with me,” Richardson said. “I feel like I can be helpful on both sides of the floor.”

Richardson experienced growth going from a young assistant in 1997 at Indianapolis to head coach at UMKC from 2013-19, making seven other stops — including his time Louisville — along the way. Having experienced life as the coach in charge, he understands the burden that assistant coaches can put on the head coach. Richardson knows it is better to offer Keatts a suggestion with a probable solution, rather than a suggestion without a resolution.

With former N.C. State forward Levi Watkins also entering his first season on Keatts’ staff, Richardson — a former point guard at Evansville and East Carolina — will work more with the guards. Having played the position himself, he hopes to teach the players, like leading scorer Terquavion Smith, about the game. As an assistant for Clemson last season, Richardson scouted Smith when the Tigers faced the Wolfpack.

“He gave us a lot of buckets in the league last year,” Richardson said. “I think where I can help him is helping him with his point guard skills, some of his reads.”

Richardson’s straightforward coaching style should mesh well with Keatts’ program.

One of the main lessons Richardson learned from his time as a head coach was the importance of honesty within a program. Some coaches tell people what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear.

“Telling the truth isn’t meaning I’m being negative, or I’m getting on you,” Richardson said. “It’s about how I can help us grow as a unit, as a team, as a person to strive for the championship level...”