Top facts about MSU head basketball coach Tom Izzo
Discover key facts about Tom Izzo, the legendary head basketball coach at Michigan State University, his contributions, achievements, and impact on the sport.
Jase Richardson, like his father, is heading from Michigan State basketball to the NBA as a first-round draft pick.
The one-and-done combo guard was selected by the Orlando Magic with the No. 25 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday, June 25.
In his one year under coach Tom Izzo, the 6-foot-1/2, 178-pound Richardson averaged 12.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per games over 25.3 minutes, making a team-leading 41.2% of his 3-point attempts and shooting 49.3% overall. Richardson was named third-team All-Big Ten as MSU won the conference’s regular-season title with a 17-3 record and advanced to Izzo’s 11th Elite Eight before finishing 30-7.
The 19-year-old son of former Izzo star Jason Richardson became the Spartans’ focal point on offense in the second half of the season. After entering the starting lineup in early February, Jase Richardson posted 16.1 points in 30.5 minutes a game while starting the final 15 games, making 42% from 3-point range while grabbing 4.6 rebounds and dishing out 1.7 assists per game over that span.
Richardson is Izzo’s’ 12th first-round NBA draft pick and the 24th Spartan selected overall during the Hall of Fame coach’s 30-year tenure. He is the first Spartan to get drafted since Max Christie went in the second round, at No. 35 overall, of the 2022 draft after one season at MSU. Izzo’s previous recent first-round picks were Jaren Jackson Jr. (No. 4) and Miles Bridges (No. 12) in the 2018 draft.
Richardson’s father won a national championship as a freshman with Izzo and the Spartans in 2000, then returned for his second year as MSU went to a third straight Final Four appearance in 2001 before turning pro. The Saginaw native was the No. 5 overall pick by Golden State in the 2001 draft and played 13 seasons in the league, winning two All-Star Slam Dunk contests and leading the NBA in 3-point shooting once but never making an All-Star team despite averaging 17.1 points and five rebounds a game for his career.
The younger Richardson was born in northern California while his father played for Golden State. He grew up in Denver, then moved to Las Vegas and Miami for high school before his lone season in East Lansing.
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.
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