The NBA Draft is just over a week away so where will Michigan State star Jase Richardson land? ESPN’s latest mock draft suggests it’ll be just outside of the lottery.
ESPN released an updated NBA Mock Draft on Tuesday, which pegged Richardson to be selected just outside of the lottery. This latest mock draft from ESPN has Richardson going No. 16 overall to the Memphis Grizzlies — who just acquired this pick from the Orlando Magic in a trade.
Jonathan Givony had this to say about Richardson and the Grizzlies pairing:
“The Grizzlies are exactly the type of team that could be interested in an ultra-efficient, productive young prospect such as Richardson, who rates highly in draft models that analytics-savvy teams like Memphis often pay attention to.
“Richardson possesses an excellent feel for the game, hit 41% of his 3-pointers this season, brings strong defensive intensity and looks adept at playing off the star power of a teammate like Ja Morant, whose future in Memphis is to be determined. As Richardson’s shot-creation diversity and offensive aggressiveness evolve, he could be someone who eventually inherits more significant ballhandling responsibilities, if the Grizzlies decide to pivot toward a youth movement.”
Richardson has widely been considered a fringe-lottery pick after starring for the Spartans in his lone season in college. He averaged 12.1 points per game and shot above 40% from three-point range, which quickly turned him into an NBA first round projection.
The NBA Draft will be held on June 25 and 26, with the first round taking place on Wednesday and second round on Thursday. The draft will be televised on ABC and ESPN.
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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Latest ESPN NBA Mock Draft has Jase Richardson landing just outside lottery
Reporting by Robert Bondy, Spartans Wire / Spartans Wire
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