He may have had to wait longer than anticipated to hear his name called, but Jase Richardson is in a fantastic position to begin his NBA career.
Richardson’s draft slip was not based on the merit of his play either. Instead, it stemmed from his measurements. Though he stood 6-foot-3 during his time at Michigan State, the 19-year-old measured just 6-foot-0.5 without shoes at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine — a red flag in the eyes of many scouts.
That discrepancy hurt his once-lottery projected stock, particularly given that he profiles more naturally as a shooting guard than a primary point guard. It even saw Richardson not receive an invite to attend the draft from the green room at the Barclays Center.
But undeterred, Orlando selected him with the No. 25 pick, reminding many why patience is indeed a virtue.
Jase Richardson fits the Magic like a glove
And fans of the team love the selection, for good reason. It has gone on to be called one of the best value selections of the first round that can provide both playing time and development for the young guard.
But the Magic are clearly making a push towards contention, taking advantage of an Eastern Conference battered by injury. They sent four first-round picks to Memphis in exchange for Desmond Bane to make a three-headed monster of Bane, Paolo Banchero, and Franz Wagner.
And the Denver native fits perfectly into that plan as a backup to Jalen Suggs.
Like Bane, Richardson provides the Magic more of what they desperately need: three-point shooting. His ability to space the floor, play with pace, and contribute as a secondary ball-handler makes him an ideal complement to the Magic’s young nucleus. Not to mention his incredible athleticism.
He shot nearly 50 percent from the field and 41.2% from long-range in his only season with MSU, and became the Spartans’ most trusted scoring option amid a run to the Elite Eight. He is incredibly shifty, especially for his size, and his playmaking often goes underappreciated.
Even if he only plays between 15 and 25 minutes per game, he will make an impact for an offense that finished dead last in the NBA in both threes made per game and 3-point percentage.
It never hurts to take a swing on a 19-year-old with an NBA pedigree, especially one with high-level production at a blue blood university.
There’s also a full-circle element to his story. Just like how Richardson followed in his father’s footsteps in college, he will do the same in the NBA. Jase’s father, Jason, spent three seasons with the Magic from 2010 to 2012.
Now, over a decade later, Jase will suit up in the same uniform, ready to make his mark as MSU’s first first-rounder in seven years in hopes of proving 24 teams wrong.