Did Orlando Magic Land NBA Draft’s Top Steal?

Much is made of drafting “steals” at the NBA Draft. Players that slip well below where they should, despite some impactful traits or a developmental game lying in plain sight.

Now-Orlando Magic guard Jase Richardson was already added to the list of potential steals following his slide to No. 25, and his short Summer League stint reinforced he could’ve been drafted much too low.

Richardson wasn’t on draft radars heading into his would-be lone season at Michigan State. In fact, he wasn’t much on his own head coach’s radar — at least in the capacity he would be by season’s end.

The son of NBA standout Jason Richardson, Jase stands at just 6-foot-3, and lands directly in between point and shooting guard. He has plus skills at both positions, but some limitations as well, likely leading to him starting on the Spartans’ bench.

Still, Richardson forced Tom Izzo’s hand.

For all of Richardson’s skills — handling, shooting, passing, plus defense and more — his simple feel for the game stands out the most. It’s somewhat encapsulating of those other things, but more highlights his ability to simply make the right play and limit mistake more than anything. And that’s ultimately what led him to become a starter for MSU, and an eventual first round pick.

In 15 games starting to end the season, Richardson poured on 16.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, shooting 47% overall and 42% from three.

He then parlayed his success to Summer League for the Magic, across his two games averaging 16.5 points on 56% shooting, cashing in on half his triples and adding 2.5 assists and 1.5 rebounds per game.

Richardson is now set to join a near perfect situation with the Magic, who will look to lead a down Eastern Conference this upcoming season. He likely won’t be a lead handler at this point without a perfect dribbling package, or a pure two-guard without the size to defend up. But his skillset lends itself well to blending into the Paolo Banchero-led squad.

It remains to be seen whether Richardson's feel for the game will continue to carry him to further success, this time at the NBA level as a late-first pick looking to prove himself above that ranking.