As freshman season ends in Elite Eight, Jase Richardson faces tough NBA Draft decision
Atlanta — Jase Richardson grew up dreaming of playing in a Final Four. In a scintillating freshman season, he came up just short.
Now, he’s got a big decision to make.
After Sunday’s 80-74 loss to Auburn, Richardson’s first year concludes with plenty of NBA draft hype. His decision whether to stay or go will be one of the most important for the Spartans. In the coming weeks, he’ll consult with his teammates, coaches, parents and his agent, with a life-changing decision on the line.
“I just gotta talk to a lot of people to make sure I’m making the right decision for myself,” Richardson said.
Richardson must declare his early entry to the NBA Draft no later than April 27. If he chooses to come back to college, he would need to withdraw by 5 p.m. June 16, more than a month after the NBA draft lottery and combine.
The NBA pitch is simple: Richardson is an efficient scorer, strong rebounder and burgeoning playmaker whose feel for the game may be his greatest single attribute. Though he’s got average height at 6-foot-3, size hasn’t held him back.
After playing his best basketball in the games that mattered to Michigan State’s Big Ten championship and NCAA Tournament runs, Richardson will be eyed by NBA teams, likely as a late-lottery pick.
“I do think he’s gotta test the waters just because that’s the way it is now,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said.
Before the season even ended, Izzo talked to Richardson’s parents, Jason Richardson and Jackie Paul. Jason followed up the 2000 national championship run his freshman year with a Final Four return as a sophomore. After his second season, he declared for the NBA Draft and went fifth overall to the Golden State Warriors.
As Jase goes through his own process, he can lean on a family well-versed in the NBA and its expectations.
“They’ll do what they want,” Izzo said. “I’ve been so proud of Jason. There were things that people wanted to do — TV things for (Jase), this and that, and he scratched them. I mean, he knows what he’s doing.
“And I’m sure (Jase)’ll ask me questions and this and that, but he has enough ability to find out things. I told Jase after — I mean he took it the hardest, just about — and Jeremy (Fears). Those two guys really competed out there. And I felt like we have really grown together. But that’ll be something that’ll be months away yet. It’d be dumb for me to speculate, but I will talk to them.”
That family history and its connection to Michigan State really matters to the younger Richardson. And then there’s that Final Four he’s dreamed about.
“I’ve always wanted to be in a Final Four. I’ve told myself since I was 6 (that) I’m going to play in a Final Four. It’s really just a big goal of mine that I want to accomplish.”
Jase can pass up that dream to get a head start on his professional career, roughing it out as a 19-year-old professional player. Or he can come back and try to take Michigan State further in the NCAA Tournament, building on a strong finish to his freshman season that saw him average 16.1 points in his final 15 games as a starter.
“If I get another year, that’s great. If I don’t, that’s great too, because that means hopefully we helped him and he helped us and that’s a good deal,” Izzo said. “The nice thing is I know he won't make a decision for the wrong reasons. Whatever his reasons will be, they'll be the right reasons.”
cearegood@detroitnews.com
@ConnorEaregood
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: As freshman season ends in Elite Eight, Jase Richardson faces tough NBA Draft decision