Michigan State Spartans freshman Jase Richardson has had a tremendous finish to the regular season, becoming the team’s go-to scorer.
He may have gotten his skills from his parents, who each excelled on the court in their own right.
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Jase Richardson’s success with the Spartans hasn’t been a complete surprise this season, if only because of his bloodline.
His father, Jason Richardson, played 14 seasons in the NBA for the Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Bobcats, Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic, and Philadelphia 76ers. The Warriors drafted him fifth overall in the 2001 NBA Draft, where he began his career.
Richardson may best be known for his excellence in the NBA Dunk Contest, which he won in 2002 and went back-to-back in 2003. He was also a terrific three-point shooter, leading the league in three-pointers made from the 2007-08 season to 2011-12, with 820 treys.
He played his college ball at a familiar place: Michigan State, where his son now plays. In his freshman season, the Spartans won the national championship with Richardson in a key reserve role. In his sophomore season, he was named to the Big Ten First Team after averaging a team-high 14.7 ppg.
Jase’s mother and Jason’s wife, Jackie Paul-Richardson, played college basketball at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Her basketball acumen was instilled in Jase early on, as she served as his AAU coach for many years.
Now, their son is a key contributor on a Michigan State squad with aspirations of a deep NCAA Tournament run, led by the freshman guard.
A lefty, unlike his father, Richardson excels at getting to that hand and finishing at the rim with creative scoop finishes. He also shoots at a 38.7% clip from beyond the arc while scoring 11.3 ppg on the season.
In recent weeks, however, Richardson has moved into the team’s go-to scoring role. Over the last nine games of the regular season, the Denver, Colorado native is averaging 16.9 ppg, a team-high.
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He’s undoubtedly raised Michigan State’s ceiling, giving them a much-needed scoring option on the perimeter. Richardson has the potential to claim something his father did 25 years ago: a national championship.
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