Gem

Richard Amardi never shared the pro-basketball dream so many kids on his block had growing up. But by the age of 14, he was 6’2” and better than everyone in his high school league. So the dream found him. Suddenly, basketball became a ticket out of his world. He caught the attention of scouts across the continent. After bouncing around American junior colleges, he got a chance to play for the Oregon Ducks, one of the NCAA’s top teams. After leaving Oregon, he played in the National Basketball League of Canada, first with the Brampton A’s and later with the Niagara River Lions. But Richard had a problem. His wicked temper and “don’t disrespect me” attitude led to game ejections and eventually caused him to be released from every team he played for. He got a reputation as a troublemaker. No one wanted to touch him. Now, with handful of years left to realize his dream, Richard is determined to turn things around. He’s embarked on a personal rebranding campaign. He’s giving back to his community and learning to manage his anger. It seems to be paying off. He’s been invited to training camp with the Raptors 905, the Toronto Raptors farm team.If Richard proves his talent and his character, he could be coached by two-time NBA All Star Jerry Stackhouse. This is the closest he’s ever been to making the NBA. Player Zero follows a larger-than-life character during the most most important season of his life, and reveals a young man determined to struggle and transform for a dream.