MSU's Richardson a Top-10 NBA Prospect?

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Michael France | Last updated Mar 12, 2025 2:00 PM ET

Michigan State's Jase Richardson is one of the best freshman guards in the country. His play late in the stretch earned him a spot on the Big Ten's All-Freshman team, and he is surging up 2025 NBA big boards.

But a top-10 prospect? That's something else entirely.

As of March 11, NBADraft.net has him getting selected at No. 7 by the Philadelphia 76ers, by far the highest he has been projected thus far. Bleacher Report projected him going at No. 10 at one point, and recently slotted him in at No. 12.

Per NBADraft.net, which has Richardson ranked No. 11 on its big board, "On paper, he’s got the skill set, the potential and most importantly, the time to develop into a premier guard at the pro level… We’ve seen what Richardson can do when the ball is in hands and how dynamic of a scorer and a defender he can be, all while letting the game come to him naturally… But ff the only questions about him are his slightly small frame and how he will respond to be given a bigger role, then simply wait until Richardson is put in that role and see how he’ll perform, because it’s inevitable that if he declares for the draft this year, he will not be left off the big board."

Richardson's stat line averages 11.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 52.4% from the floor and 38.8% from beyond the arc.

NBA Draft Room projects Richardson at No. 20 to the Brooklyn Nets.

"Jason’s son is a high flying athlete with shot-making ability and is an excellent passer/play-maker as well," the site reads. "Is very efficient with his shots and shows great BBIQ.

The overall report on Richardson: "Jason Richardson’s son is a 4-star combo guard who projects as a nice college player with a possible NBA future. He’s a wiry 6-4 athlete with a quick first step and good above-the-rim ability.

"He’s not the same level of power-dunker that his dad was but he’s more of a natural shooter and scorer at this stage of his development."

Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.

This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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