Legacy will go down as among the best 1&Dones in Spartan History
At 11:59 PM ET last night, the deadline passed for college players with eligibility remaining to remove their names from the NBA Draft pool. Sadly, Michigan State freshman Jase Richardson did not. What fleeting hope we had that he would return for his second year in East Lansing was officially dashed as the clock struck midnight.
Jase started off his freshman season as a backup guard for Tom Izzo. By midseason, however, he had earned himself a spot in the starting five as the shooting guard. Sharing the backcourt with Jeremy Fears Jr., he ended up being the best player on the team. While Richardson ended up as the second leading scorer behind Jaden Akins (12.8 PPG to 12.1), that is simply because Richardson was not getting as many minutes earlier in the year.
Jase scored in double digits in the final nine regular season games, both of MSU’s BTT games, and in 3 of 4 NCAA Tournament games. He led MSU in scoring in 5 of those final regular season games, both BTT games, and 1 NCAAT game. He also ended the season with a 41.2% efficiency rate on three-point shots, best on the team.
The TOC staff wishes Jase Richardson all the best in the next chapter of his story. What do you think? Did he make the right choice? How long did you hold out hope of a return for? Where do you think he will get drafted? And how do you think his pro career will turn out? Let’s hear all your thoughts in the comments.