One of Michigan State’s biggest offseason questions will get a concrete answer in the next two days.
After one season with the Michigan State men’s basketball team, freshman guard Jase Richardson declared for the NBA Draft back in April as an early entry. While his statement at the time made the decision seem final, NCAA and NBA rules give him the option to exit the draft process. That decision has to come before midnight Wednesday.
According to NBA rules, Richardson and other early entries to the NBA Draft have until 5 p.m. June 16 to withdraw. For college players, that is a tricky deadline because the NCAA requires returners to withdraw from the draft by 11:59 p.m. May 28 in order to maintain their eligibility. So, if Richardson is to make the unexpected decision to return to Michigan State, he has until that earlier deadline to do so.
Already, a number of big names have given their decisions on the draft. Michigan commit Yaxel Lendeborg exited the draft Tuesday. Houston’s Milos Uzan is returning to seek redemption for a national championship game loss. Indiana’s Mackenzie Mgbako withdrew from the draft and will transfer to Texas Tech.
So what’s Richardson going to decide?
When it comes to Richardson’s draft position, your guess is as good as the mock drafts. Some have him at No. 10; others predict a slide to No. 20 or later. One of the reasons he is slipping is because of an unfavorable measurement at the combine — a 6-foot-0.5 height measurement, after being listed at 6-foot-3 all year. As much as he proved that height wasn’t an issue in college, guarding tall peers in the pro ranks is harder at his height. Teams who draft him are taking a risk on an area they can’t just teach. Most will hope the 19-year-old hits a growth spurt.
Look past measurements and there’s a lot for NBA teams to like. Richardson’s scoring ability and efficiency are primary assets. He can shoot 3-pointers from the corner, attack the rim on the drive and hit his free throws on the often times he draws a foul. When he pulls up from mid-range, he’s deadly. Richardson averaged 12.1 points and 1.9 assists per game across the entire season, and 16.1 points and 1.7 assists per game in 15 games as a starter. He shot 49.3% from the field, 41.2% on 3-pointers and 83.6% on free throws, percentages that bode well for an NBA translation.
There’s a big decision for Richardson to make, one that will be informed by his parents, 13-year NBA vet and 2000 national champion Jason Richardson and Jackie Paul-Richardson, a college player herself who coached Jase growing up. If he decides he wants to come back to college, it’s hard to imagine a world where Michigan State doesn’t make room for him. With changes to scholarship limits, the Spartans still have slots available (though using them is optional). But that decision would likely cause some ripples for a team that’s already been constructed.
The addition of Miami (Fla.) transfer Divine Ugochukwu rounded out a four-man guard rotation with a backup point guard, where Jase Richardson likely would have played some minutes had he returned. Between Jeremy Fears Jr., Samford transfer Trey Fort, Ugochukwu and rising sophomore Kur Teng, Michigan State has a capable group. Its completeness gives an idea of Tom Izzo and Co.’s opinion on Richardson’s decision. In fact, it was Izzo himself who told Richardson he should at least test the NBA Draft waters.
“I think he can be ready to play,” Izzo said April 16. “I think it all depends on what’s out there. And I thought from what I saw from other players, that I’m hearing other things about, and then I have a lot of people in the NBA now — I mean, a lot of people. I don’t have a few anymore. I have a lot of people — and was I almost surprised at some of the numbers I was hearing and where he would go. … Once I realized that, he was one kid I did not feel sad at all. I said to myself, wow.”
The possibility of a Richardson return does not equate to likelihood. Richardson declared for the NBA Draft because he wants to play pro ball, not because he wants to be a top-five pick or some other grand dream. What he wants out of this draft — to play for a competitive pro club — doesn’t change because his mocks slip a little. For a player like Richardson who plays a complementary style that is likely to buff out in the G League for a season or two, it may be better to go a little later in the draft for him to land in a favorable organization to his abilities.
Regardless of which way Richardson decides to go this upcoming season, his decision is due Wednesday night. He’d be the Spartans’ first one-and-done since Max Christie in 2021-22, who is also the program’s most recent draft pick. Since Tom Izzo became head coach, 23 Michigan State players have gone in the NBA Draft.