Richie Saunders is officially heading to the professional ranks. The BYU Cougars star just heard his name called at the 2026 NBA Draft. He will go and play for the Memphis Grizzlies after being the No. 32 overall pick in the second round. A huge moment for Saunders, his family, and the BYU program.
Saunders played high school basketball at Mount Pleasant (UT) Wasatch Academy, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 233 overall recruit in the 2020 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
It took a couple of years before Saunders stepped foot on campus in Provo to play basketball. A mission took priority after high school, eventually getting to college. Once there, he became one of the more consistent aspects of the program. Saunders averaged 12.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game throughout his career.
NBA teams got a good look at Saunders during the combine in Chicago. Saunders measured in with a wingspan of 6’8.75. He did not participate in much else, including the vertical leap, due to an injury. It’s another aspect Saunders had to worry about entering the draft.
The NBA does not assign specific contract values for second-round picks, allowing teams to negotiate with the player. While they are able to offer a fully-guaranteed deal, they can also offer non-guaranteed money to mitigate risk. This section will be updated when Saunders’ contract is made public.
What NBA Draft analysts are saying about Richie Saunders
Before the 2026 NBA Draft took place, On3’s James Fletcher put together a scouting report on Saunders. As mentioned, a torn ACL is a big part of the story with Saunders. However, he was impressive for BYU prior to the injury. Fletcher laid out some of the positives we saw.
“Richie Saunders is a player who could have seen his draft stock rise even further if not for a season-ending ACL tear,” Fletcher said. “Pending a full recovery, he possesses all the tools needed to quickly emerge as a rotation player on the wing, shooting the ball, creating well and playing defensive in a team construct.”
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