With just one day left until the 2016 NBA Draft, Malachi Richardson is feeling confident and ready to be drafted.
Whether or not you believe that Malachi Richardson is making the right choice by entering the NBA Draft after his freshmen year, you can't deny the fact that he has enough talent. Richardson enters the Draft with the assurance that he will hear his name called in the first round, and some have even reported that he could slip into the late lottery.
Malachi, however, does not seem too concerned with pre draft rankings. When asked about his original projections in mock drafts, Malachi responded with "The draft boards don't mean anything. They're not making any decisions. DraftExpress. They're not drafting anybody."
Throughout last season, Malachi showed us this sense of not caring what other people think of him, and it's seemed to work out pretty well for him. He declared for the draft even though he was originally only projected as a second round pick.
Here's what Malachi had to say about the people who doubted his decision. "When I first decided to come out, I thought it was the right idea. I always believed in myself so I think that had a lot to do with it. For people to say or think I wasn't going to be drafted was just nonsense." Also in response to his decision, Malachi replied "There's always uncertainty with everything, but you've just got to believe in yourself."
While Malachi is clearly oozing with confidence, it turns out he did get a little bit of advice before making his big decision. Reports have recently surfaced that during a trip to see the Knicks play the 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center, Malachi had the chance to speak with the original one-and-done player from Syracuse University, Carmelo Anthony.
Recounting the conversation with Carmelo, Malachi said "He told me if I felt comfortable enough to go, then go. He didn't tell me just to go, but he said if I was comfortable with leaving school and going to the NBA, then go." Malachi was also quoted saying "You definitely got to look up to Melo. He was the one guy that took the team to a national championship game and won. He's had a great career and, hopefully, he gets a championship in the league."
While Carmelo might not have explicitly told Malachi that he should enter the draft, it does seem like Malachi is eager to follow in his footsteps. Soon enough, Malachi learns his fate and will be rewarded for all of the effort and hard work he has put in on the basketball court throughout his entire life.
