The sixth man. The spark plug. The energy guy.
It’s a role often overlooked when discussing the key components of a team, but Ethan Wright decided to make it his own for Leicester Riders in one of the most pivotal developments of the year.
Wright started the season in the starting five. The second year pro out of Princeton University was an established baller and was playing well in this role. He began with 15 points in a win against Bristol Flyers, and helped the Riders’ to a 6-0 Super League Basketball Trophy Group Phase.
HELL NAH!!!
— Leicester Riders | Basketball (@RidersBball) September 27, 2024
E-Wright chased him downpic.twitter.com/bwI8gT0Zgi
But back-to-back losses to Sheffield Sharks in the Championship saw Head Coach Rob Paternostro seek change. The Riders’ bench was outscored 60-30 in those games, and scored only seven in the second fixture. The solution: move Wright to the second unit and the newly signed Spencer Johnson into the starting five.
It was a decision that could have affected someone of lesser character, and something that hinged on Wright’s attitude and Paternostro’s approach. The trust between the pair saw the move go from success to success.
“It came down to the relationship I have with Coach Rob,” reflected Wright. “We trust each other, and the biggest thing was being positive with my attitude.
“For some guys, being moved to the second unit could be negative and seen as a slight, but Rob explained to me that the second unit needed some more scoring. It wasn’t out of the blue either which I appreciated- he communicated it really well. He told me that it wasn’t slight on me, and he still has the utmost confidence in me.
“I took it as a positive thing, and that comes back to Coach Rob having confidence in me, and trusting that I wouldn’t be negative about it.”
Similarly, Paternostro cited Wright’s attitude to the game as a key component to the seamlessness of this move.
“It wasn’t too difficult of a conversation,” he acknowledged. “Ethan is a player who throughout his career is known to be a team player. He does whatever it takes for his teams to be successful.
“He understands the game of basketball and we saw an opportunity for him in the second unit to make an impact.
“Over the years here we’ve had plenty of players who have been really successful in that role.”
Finding his freedom in the second unit
Wright’s response was telling of his character. He scored 11 points in 13 minutes next time out, finishing the game with a +/- of 10 in a win against Manchester. The Riders’ bench outscored their opponents 27-16, and Wright went on to score in double digits the next two games.
The new role allows him to play with the ball in his hands, create shots for himself and others and play with aggression and freedom.
Spark plug
— Leicester Riders | Basketball (@RidersBball) December 15, 2024@ewright3862 relentless of the bench
https://t.co/6bd8cKli2j pic.twitter.com/ghmT9Bl66j
“I really love it. Obviously every player wants to play 40 minutes, but the second unit gives me a good opportunity to come in and do my thing.
“I’ve found a good role off the bench, and I think I’ve probably been better coming into the game with some freedom.”
Paternostro noted that along with Wright’s attitude, being able to both start for the team and step into another role off the bench successfully is a testament to his malleability as a player.
“What we liked about Ethan is his versatility,” he said. “He can be a few different types of players. He’s a ball handler, a shooter and much more, so my communication with him was that this was an opportunity to display that.”
Although there was a slight acclimatisation period for Wright, he’s settled into the role and proven his coach exactly right.
“It took a little bit of adjustment to come off the bench,” said Wright. “I haven’t done it much in my career, but it has given me more freedom on offence to be myself and be more aggressive.
“We have a lot of star power in our first unit- a lot of guys that demand the ball, which is a great thing and it’s one of our strengths, but when I’m in the second unit I get a bit more of a ball dominant role so there’s more shots available. The guys in that unit are really fun to play with.”
“You have to take advantage of big moments in the game.”
Along with the mental adjustment of accepting the new role, the move to the second unit meant Wright had to change his approach to the game.
Sitting out the first few minutes allows him to get a feel for what the team needs from him when he takes the floor.
“The good thing is you get to see how the game is going and what the team needs, and you have to take advantage of big moments in the game.
MONSTER BLOCK. BIG TIME TRIPLE. WHAT A SEQUENCE
— Leicester Riders | Basketball (@RidersBball) December 6, 2024
“If I’m coming into the game with three minutes left in the first quarter, I need to analyse how I fit into what the team is doing if we’re up or how I make an impact to turn the game if we’re down.
“It can actually be a little harder to get yourself into the game too, so the other priority is to make sure I find a way to stay ready for when my name is called.”
Paternostro said that Wright has been “one of the best players in the league coming off the bench”, leaving him firmly in the running for the SLB Sixth Man of the Year award. It’s not something he’s going after directly, but it would be an apt appreciation of what he has brought to the Club this year.
“I’m not chasing individual awards, I want to win championships, but it’s something I can definitely strive for. Hopefully I’ve been playing well enough to be in that conversation. I’d love to be considered for it.”
“The bigger the moment the higher you should rise”: Fighting back against Newcastle
Wright’s biggest moment of the season came under the bright lights. With the Riders down 20 on aggregate going into the fourth quarter, Wright scored 14 in the final period as the Riders mounted a comeback.
They made it a one possession game late, and despite ultimately falling short, the American showed all the heart and hustle possible in a player.
Ethan is cooking
— Leicester Riders | Basketball (@RidersBball) December 22, 2024
10 points in the fourth for @ewright3862 – we're still fighting pic.twitter.com/qLVJomo8IG
“It was a big moment, and I was angry.” said Wright, when explaining what went into the momentous fourth quarter effort.
“I thought we should have played better, and I was frustrated with how I was playing and the way things were going. I hate losing. I thought we could beat them, so I was motivated.
“I’ve tried to replicate that energy since then. Sometimes you get in a zone where you’re seeing red. You stop caring about missing shots and getting beat and just try everything to make plays.
“It felt like freedom. I was hitting shots and the crowd were getting into it. That was a really fun and competitive game, and the more competitive the game is the harder you go. The bigger the moment the higher you should rise, and that’s what I tried to do in that moment.
“Obviously we didn’t get the result we wanted but just fighting back and showing we weren’t going to go out like that was a positive.”
“We’re really excited to compete for championships“
With the Riders on the back nine of the season, the next stretch is pivotal for the club’s hopes of silverware. They currently sit third in the league standings in a three-way fight for the Championship title.
London Lions, Sheffield Sharks and Leicester Riders all have four losses, deadlocked at the top.
Wright is optimistic that Leicester can emerge the victors with their current play.
“We have really high expectations. We know that we’ve missed some opportunities that I think we could have done better with, but overall we’ve been consistent responding to any losses we do have really well.
“It’s a long season and we’ve put ourselves in a position to be at the top of the table by the end of it. We feel really good about where we are basketball wise.
“Now we’re in the home stretch, and we’re really excited to compete for championships and we’re in a position where we feel like if we stay who we are and make a push we can be in a really good spot going into the playoffs.”
Wright returns to SLB action on Friday, February 28, against Surrey 89ers at home.
Tickets are still available for the doubleheader, which features Riders women taking on Cardiff Met Archers before the men play Surrey.
