Player Profile - Rickey Paudling
1/23/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2001
It did not take long for Rickey Paulding to establish himself among college athletics' elite. Within 10 days of his first regular season game, he was featured on that ultimate status symbol, SportsCenter on ESPN.
Despite standing just 6-foot-5, the high-flying Paulding, generally considered the best leaper and possibly overall athlete on this year's Tiger squad, dazzled the crowd at the Great Alaska Shootout with an amazing dunk in the championship game against Syracuse. Though Paulding hesitates to name any of his dunks as a personal favorite, "the one against Syracuse sticks out the most," he said.
"I liked that one, but dunks are more of a team thing-- two points, a way to pick up the team-- than an individual thing," Paulding said.
It is this kind of attitude that will carry him far in head coach Quin Snyder's program, one that teaches discipline and teamwork as lessons for life far beyond the basketball court. Snyder recruited Paulding out of Renaissance High in Detroit, where he was first-team all-state and a finalist for Michigan's Mr. Basketball. He also led Renaissance to its first-ever Public School League championship and was voted the league's player of the year.
Before arriving in Columbia, Paulding spent the summer playing in several all-star games, including the Global Games, where he led the team with 26 points in a win over Mexico. He also competed at several camps where he was often considered one of the top players.
College, however, has proven to be something else. Paulding went through much the same adjustment of many other freshmen in their first time away from home in an unfamiliar environment. In addition to the rigors of college-level lectures and tests, Paulding had plays to learn, sprints to run, and the media's questions to answer. Luckily, he was not the only one going through this adjustment period.
"It's a good thing AJ (Arthur Johnson) and Wesley (Stokes) are going through the same things," he said. "We have each other to lean on, to talk with. We're helping each other through the tough spots. The coaching staff and the rest of the team has been helping us with adjustments but they just take time. It's just easier when there's more of you going through it."
On the court, Paulding has had to adjust to better competition and different surroundings. The atmosphere in the Hearnes Center is not quite the same as Renaissance High. The toughest transition has not been learning the Tigers' offense, as one might expect, but how to play at the other end of the court.
"It's been different learning how to play defense at this level and how coach Snyder wants us to play defense," Paulding explained.
Snyder also emphasizes the leadership on this team as an important element of its early-season success. Paulding considers himself more of a leader by example.
When talking about his first dunk, his style of leadership came up: "I was 13 (the first time I dunked)," he said. "It was just fooling around in the street. It's just a way I play, a sign of leadership. I'm not a vocal leader-- that's something I need to work on-- but it's my way to pick up the team. It's also a great way to pick up the crowd."
Paulding has picked up the team with more than just his dunks this season. Through Missouri's first nine games he is averaging almost eight points a game, fifth-best on a team that includes three seniors and last year's Big 12 Freshman of the Year in Kareem Rush, along with all-Big 12 standout Clarence Gilbert.
In just 15 minutes on the court against Saint Louis, Paulding scored 13 points and came down with six rebounds, in spite of his size. He scored a career-high 16 points and helped engineer the comeback against Valparaiso in Alaska, where the Tigers found themselves down by double digits. "So far, this season has been about an eight," rates Paulding. "It's gone very well. For one, we're winning. Second, the team is playing really good and together. The third thing is, we're hustling."
However, Paulding also realizes the season is still young, with the always-tough Big 12 schedule looming.
"I just want to play and have fun on the court," he said. "Playing well and winning will help. I've been struggling with the outside part of my game. I need to work on that and keeping my turnovers down. I also need to work on my ballhandling. I can't get down. I need to stay positive and play hard."
That kind of approach will keep Paulding on track for mental success, and someday those dunks might not be the only thing for which he makes the SportsCenter highlight reel.
