Tennessee basketball: Vols top 10 greatest players in the 2010s decade

Joining Jordan McRae in the backcourt on that Sweet Sixteen team in 2014 was one of the greatest development stories of the decade for Tennessee basketball, Josh Richardson. One of Cuonzo Martin’s first commitments, he’s another guy who stuck it out through everything and continued to get better every year, earning his place in UT history.

For his career, Richardson scored 1,252 total points. His averages went up from just under three points a game in 2011-2012 to just under eight points a game in 2012-2013 to over 10 points a game in 2013-2014 to 16 points a game in 2014-2015.

McRae actually has more team accomplishments with the Vols since he made two NCAA Tournaments. But Richardson’s development is why we have him higher up on the list. He was an All-SEC player and All-SEC defensive player after all.

That development has allowed Richardson to enjoy a surprisingly successful NBA career. A few years ago, the Miami Heat began to focus on making him the guy to replace Dwyane Wade. Combine that with the success he had on Rocky Top, and he deserves a ton of paise for the way he got better every year despite having to play for two coaches in Martin and Donnie Tyndall.

Doing that plus leading UT to a Sweet Sixteen appearance is enough for us to put him on this list. A 6’6″ guard with athleticism, his development is actually something you have to attribute to Martin. He did a very good job with Richardson and turned him into a very efficient scorer and elite defender.