'A dream offer': Manual star celebrates getting basketball offer from Bradley Braves
PEORIA — There are offers, and there are offers like the one Manual junior basketball player Dietrich Richardson has just received from Bradley.
"That's a dream offer," the versatile guard-forward said Monday. "I'm still trying to take it all in. To have a chance to play for my hometown team, that's all I could hope for.
"I love Bradley, I love this city, and to play here would be a thrill."
Background: This Manual junior is Peoria's latest Division I college basketball recruit
Richardson's offer from BU was officially announced on social media Monday. The 6-foot-6½, 175-pound junior averaged 13 points and six rebounds per game as a sophomore last season. He also played all over the court, everywhere from 1-4 in the lineup.
2025 G 6’7 @DietrichR_11 has received a scholarship from Bradley University (D1). #MidProFam #ThisIsWhatWeDo #TrustTheProcess #EarnYourRespect pic.twitter.com/eIXR35bRRP
— Midwest Prospect Academy (@MidProAcademy) October 2, 2023
"I kind of saw this offer coming," Richardson said. "People say that schools sometimes don't offer hometown kids, that they fear they will be too comfortable or distracted and get into trouble.
"But I have good grades, I'm a good person, and I'm one of many from around here who can play. So I'm proud to get an offer from Bradley."
Bradley is Richardson's fifth offer, following Vanderbilt, Green Bay, Bryant and Southern Illinois. He's in an area NCAA Division-I prospect talent pool that includes Richwoods' Lathan Sommerville (Rutgers), Metamora's Cooper Koch (Iowa) and Notre Dame's Eoin Dillon (Belmont), plus Aaron Zobrist (offers from Bradley and Illinois State).
More: Bradley and Illinois State among college basketball teams vying for Metamora Redbirds star
Richardson is ranked as the No. 10 prospect in the Illinois class of 2025 list by Illinois Hoops Report.
"I'm just going to continue to show I'm a solid player and person," said Richardson, an all-Big 12 Conference selection last season. "And I have a goal — to win a state championship with Manual. Nothing else at the high school level matters."
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Manual star 'thrilled' with offer from Bradley basketball to play in home town
