Michigan State’s biggest question of the offseason has an answer: Jase Richardson is headed to the NBA.
Richardson, the 19-year-old freshman phenom who emerged as the Spartans’ star player, announced his declaration for the 2025 NBA Draft.
“This is an exciting step in my journey, and I’m looking forward to see what GOD has planned for me,” Richardson wrote in a statement posted to his Instagram account. “I’m forever grateful to the Spartan community for all their support throughout the season and honored to be a Spartan Dawg.”
The son of 13-year NBA vet Jason Richardson, Jase averaged 12.1 points per game for the Spartans, but 16.1 points per game once he became a starter in early February. He became one of Michigan State’s go-to players, with an efficient 3-pointer, a knack for rebounding and a strong understanding of pace and timing. He’s mocked to be a first-round pick in some of the latest drafts, likely a late lottery pick.
Richardson needed to declare his early entry to the NBA Draft no later than April 27. If he chooses to come back to college, he would need to withdraw by 5 p.m. June 16, more than a month after the NBA draft lottery and combine. That’s a lot of time to explore the draft process, though the wording of his announcement suggests that a return is unlikely.
Richardson’s departure is a significant loss of star power that will be difficult to replace, creating an immediate need for another player from the transfer portal. However, this early declaration gives Tom Izzo and his staff some time to recruit a replacement.
Right now, Michigan State guard Tre Holloman is also in the transfer portal, with options to choose other schools or come back to East Lansing. So is reserve guard Gehrig Normand. Forward Xavier Booker committed to UCLA earlier in the week.
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