Lethal Burst
Watching her play, it’s immediately hard to ignore her speed with the ball in her hands. Regardless of where she receives it on the court, Richardson is able to turn on the jets and place herself and her teammates in advantageous situations. The straight-line speed and momentum are purely enough to take her past the majority of players on the floor at any given time, but it’s the next level of her athleticism that truly creates scoring chances for her team.
Her rapid first step is the deadliest aspect of having to guard a player like Richardson. The advantage she gains from her initial move pins defenders against the ropes and allows Richardson to essentially freely roam the court to get what she wants. As a result, Richardson has nicely developed an arsenal of options to make defenses pay. She has become very attuned to positively impacting the game and making adjustments on the fly after beating her primary defender. It is this knowledge and understanding of taking what defenses will give her that have allowed Richardson to become a very efficient and complete floor general on the court.