The new normal: Nick Richards, reimagined

I could say it’s hard to root against Nick Richards, but that would be an understatement. Over the past three years, there has not been a basketball player on Kentucky’s roster with more ups-and-downs, who’s faced more criticism or who’s deserved more success than UK’s junior big man.

Over the past weeks and maybe even months, the BBN has wrestled with one changing core belief: what they are witnessing now must be considered the norm for Nick Richards. At first, it almost felt like a trap; Richards did have a few great games during his first two seasons, after all. He had 25 points against Purdue Fort Wayne early in his freshman year and 14 points against Vanderbilt last year. Still, he was…