Former NBA Front Office Member Recalls Bizarre Jase Richardson Story

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated May 28, 2025 12:41 PM ET

Michigan State's Jase Richardson will likely be hearing his name called in next month's NBA Draft, as it doesn't seem the freshman sensation will be opting to return to Michigan State.

Richardson is pursuing the path his father, Jason, a fellow Michigan State Spartan himself, once did. Jason was selected wth the fifth overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft after spending two seasons in East Lansing and would go on to have along NBA career.

Jason's career included several stops, including one with the Phoenix Suns. Amin Elhassan, a current sports media personality, was a member of Phoenix's front office at the time and knew of the Spartan legend's athletic bounce quite well.

"If you could actually fly, but you wanted to keep it a secret, it would not look like you're jumping, right?" Elhassan said on a recent episode of "The Dan Le Betard Show."

"It would look kind of weird, kind of like you're on wires. That's how it looked like, and it's always blown my mind, and now, it's blowing my mind that his son is going to get drafted."

Elhassan then recalled a story of a little Jase.

"In the family room, we had like a Fisher-Price (hoop) for the little kids," Elhassan said. "He was maybe 18 months, definitely not 2 years old. ... He was doing windmills -- a 2-year-old. On everything."

Based on his recollection, Elhassan would have been the Suns' assistant director of basketball operations at the time. But you didn't need to be an expert to know Jase was special.

"It was the most phenomenal thing," Elhassan said. " ... I would have offered on the spot. If I was Tom Izzo, on the spot. Right there, come to the family room, look at this kid, full ride. It was incredible. I've never, in my life, seen a child that advanced. ... This was like 2007, or whatever, 2008, when I saw this.

"And obviously, he was a high-rated prospect coming out of high school, he goes to Michigan State, and he played really well for Michigan State this year, and now he's in the Draft Combine, and I'm like, 'Yeah, I kind of saw this (coming).'"

Follow along with all our Michigan State basketball content when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be sure to share your thoughts when you join our vibrant community group, Go Green Go White, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

Don't forget to give us a follow on X @MSUSpartansOnSI as well.

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

More must-reads: