Jase Richardson
Guard
Quick processing, 3-level scoring guard
Despite measuring as the third shortest player barefoot (6’0.5”) in the 2025 NBA Draft, Jase Richardson is one of the most complete offensive prospects this year. Richardson is the epitome of being malleable on the offensive end, able to play on and off the ball with his combination of touch, processing and scoring excellence.
Jase Richardson saw his usage rise through his college season at MSU, primarily operating as an off-ball scorer, but he consistently showcased his ability to adapt to different roles. While his shooting numbers may pop off the page – 47.5% on off-the-dribble 2s, 41.2% on 3-point attempts, 83.6% from the line – what Richardson truly excels at is being a driver, hurting defenses with his acceleration and touch inside the arc.
Richardson’s first step is solid, but he truly stands out with his ability to accelerate through his second and third strides while using sharp angles to create separation. His ankle flexibility and footwork allow him to stay tight on drives, reducing the need to veer away from the rim. Regardless of his stature, his controlled acceleration and 6’6” wingspan enable him to find unique finishing angles at the rim. When he is cut off on drives, he is fantastic at using his counters, whether that’s a pull-up middy, floater, or grifting to get to the free throw line. The immense scoring pressure he puts on a defense shows up in his 41.8% free throw rate (FTR).
On occasion, Richardson can be myopic with his scoring which could be a product of not being able to see over defenses, but in general he does a good job reading help defenders and consistently makes the right pass to find open teammates.
His feel also shows up off the ball, often pressuring the defense with unstructured cuts and constant relocation to open up the floor for his teammates.
There has been a common question of whether Jase Richardson can truly play the point guard position, especially with his margins as a smaller player, high assisted rates inside the arc and a 14.4 assist percentage. This stems largely from Richardson’s role as a scorer and the overall structure of MSU’s offense. MSU used a lot of Weave DHO and Zoom variations, which meant Richardson was often getting assisted on possessions even though on tape he was creating most of these drives once he received the hand off. Additionally, MSU was one of the worst teams in the nation at taking and making 3-point shots, which actively meant many of Richardson’s perimeter passes would not translate to the box score.
Richardson needs to improve his volume as an interior passer as he continues to develop, especially passing over the top of defenses. Since he is so adept at taking floaters inside the arc, being able to mask floater attempts as lobs would be a great wrinkle to add to Richardson’s offensive utility. With his quick processing, sharp passing deliveries, and low turnover rate (9.9 TO%), Richardson shows real potential to scale up as a table-setter at the next level.
The defense will be an issue as a smaller player, but Richardson does have the lateral speed, strength, and length to take on smaller matchups. He needs to improve on his closeout footwork as well. At the next level, he could be more of an event creator, as this is another area MSU suppressed him. MSU was the second-best team at limiting opposing 3-point efficiency, a result of the defense asking players to stay attached to their matchups and gamble less in passing lanes.
All in all, Jase Richardson is one of the better offensive bets in this year’s draft, but his lack of size and defensive limitations affect his margins, making him a riskier proposition for NBA teams.