Michigan State guard Jase Richardson drives to the basket against Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford during the first half of the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Sunday, March 30, 2025. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Report: Where MSU's Richardson Goes West in Recent Mock Draft

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated Apr 9, 2025 9:04 AM ET

Michigan State freshman guard Jase Richardson has officially declared for the 2025 NBA Draft after a sensational first season of college basketball. He has proven his ability to play at the next level and a recent mock draft has Richardson projected as a top 10 pick.

Julia Stumbaugh of Bleacher Report released her latest 2025 NBA Mock Draft last weekend, projecting each of the 30 first-round selections. She has Richardson slated to be picked ninth overall by the Portland Trailblazers, one pick ahead of Maryland Terrapins' freshman center Derik Queen at 10.

The Trailblazers are currently one of the youngest NBA teams at an average age of 24.82. Richardson being a 19-year-old, would drop that number even lower and become one of the young defining pieces of the franchise for the foreseeable future.

After Richardson dropped a career-high 29 points against the Oregon Ducks in early February, there was no looking back. He quickly became the Spartans' go-to scorer, leading them to several key wins to seal the program's 17th Big Ten title all-time.

The Aurora, Colorado native averaged 12.1 points on 49.3% shooting, with 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 25.3 minutes per game. He was one of the strongest free throw shooters at 83.6% and knocked the 3-ball at a 41.2% clip. There is certainly a place for Richardson to succeed at the next level.

Throughout the season, Richardson proved that he is a three-level scorer, something that is required now for guards to be successful in the NBA. His ability to get to the rim and finish through contact compliments his quick shooting release, finding ways to score from inside and beyond the arc.

Richardson also possesses a crafty mid-range jump shot that can either fadeaway or go strong to the rim. It will be interesting to see if that shot stays within his arsenal considering the elite size and physicality of the NBA's interior players or if he finds a way to make it work at the next level.

Portland is already eliminated from this year's playoffs and will likely receive a top-10 pick, making Richardson very attainable. He would work well alongside young stars like sixth-year shooting guard Anfernee Simons and rookie guard Scoot Henderson.

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

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