We are less than a week away from the 2025 NBA Draft, and suspense is still in the air regarding Jase Richardson’s next chapter. Richardson was one regarded as a potential lottery pick who could be selected as high as the top 10, but his draft stock seems to have slipped since he measured in at 6-foot-1.5 at the NBA Draft Combine.
Now it is more frequent to see the 19-year-old guard projected to be selected in the teens, or perhaps slip to the 20s on Wednesday night. This is despite an impressive Combine performance where the second-generation Spartan recording a 38-inch max vertical.
But this is where Jackson Jr. comes into the equation.
Triple J shined at Michigan State and was drafted No. 4 overall in the 2018 Draft before going on to emerge as one of the NBA’s premier two-way bigs. He averaged north of 22 points per game in each of the last two seasons and is a three-time all-defensive honoree.
Two of Tom Izzo's biggest stars could team up in the NBA
After the Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic last week, there have been rumblings of a fire sale coming from Bluff City. This could see Jackson Jr. potentially be moved, but now Memphis is also equipped with the No. 16 pick in the draft (from Orlando).
That selection is in the exact range of where Richardson could be selected, which is something Sports Illustrated’s Aidan Champion took note of.
Despite the potential availability of the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, it creates a unique opportunity for the Grizzlies to reunite the Michigan State stars on one roster.
It is still unlikely the Grizzlies part with the two-time All-Star, though. After parting with Bane, Memphis is looking for a new running mate for star point guard Ja Morant, especially one who can be a threat from the perimeter and compensate for his poor defensive efforts. Richardson averaged 12.1 points per game last season while shooting 41.2% from deep and just under 50 percent from the floor, and knows how to make an impact off the ball.
Richardson would be an excellent fit, as he plays tough, is efficient, and brings a gritty defensive mindset reminiscent of Jackson Jr.’s own style coming out of MSU. Both players’ high basketball IQ and work ethic molded by Tom Izzo could quickly forge a fearsome tandem for a team amid a retool.
The buzz only grew louder after ESPN’s Jonathan Givony mocked Richardson to Memphis in his latest mock draft.
If Memphis opts to keep 25-year-old. and uses the No. 16 pick to select Richardson, it could quietly be one of the more poetic storylines of the night. Two Spartans. Two NBA legacies. One anchoring the paint. The other is looking to prove himself on the perimeter.
Both were shaped in East Lansing and could potentially star in Memphis’s next chapter.