Michigan State University Athletics
Richardson Ready To Soar In NBA Draft
6/25/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
June 25, 2001
DETROIT (AP) - There's at least one place where 20 is considered middle-aged.
The NBA draft.
In an era where talented high school players are coveted while many college seniors are virtually ignored, Jason Richardson might be in the perfect spot after two years at Michigan State.
"I'm more mature and experienced than the high-school guys, but I'm not considered old like the seniors," he said. "I'm in between, I think that can help me."
Atlanta coach Lon Kruger, who saw Richardson play as a freshman when he was Illinois' coach and again during a recent workout, said Richardson will make an NBA team very happy Wednesday.
"He's in a great situation because of the athlete he is and the attitude he has," Kruger said. "It could help him that he's older than the high-school guys and younger than the seniors.
"He's moving up the charts after some impressive workouts from what I hear."
There's another factor that may help Richardson's stock soar.
The 6-foot-6, 220-pound guard defies gravity and drops jaws when he dunks, and his jump shot has improved from poor to solid.
Vince Carter came out of North Carolina in 1998 with a similar scouting report. Golden State drafted Carter fifth overall and traded him to Toronto for his college teammate, Antwan Jamison. Carter, who was the 1999 Rookie of the Year, has developed into one of the best players in the NBA.
Richardson, as a member of the USA Men's Select Team, played an exhibition game against Carter and the rest of the 2000 Dream Team in Hawaii last summer.
He led the collegiate players with 20 points, five rebounds and four assists and even had the guts to try to dunk on Miami's Alonzo Mourning.
"I think there are a few teams still upset that they passed on Vince and I think that's going to help me a lot," Richardson said. "I'm not saying I'm the player he is, but my game is similar to his and I plan on developing into the best player I can be."
The 20-year-old Saginaw, Mich., native led the Spartans in scoring (14.7), 3-point shooting percentage (40.3), steals (1.2) and blocks (0.9) last season as they followed up a national championship with a Big Ten title and a Final Four appearance.
After deciding to skip his last two years of eligibility, he worked out for teams with picks No. 3 through No. 8: Atlanta, Chicago, Golden State, Vancouver, New Jersey and Cleveland.
"I hear he could go somewhere between the fifth and eighth picks," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "But I wouldn't be shocked if he went fifth because Golden State likes him a lot.
"The best thing about Jason is that he's going to be one of the hardest workers on whatever team he ends up with. He's one of the most self-motivated players I've had. Whatever a team doesn't see in him, they'll see it soon because he will work on his weaknesses day and night. That's what is going to elevate him from good to elite eventually."
When Richardson wasn't working out for a team, he was in a gym shooting up to 1,000 shots a day and working on his ballhandling skills.
"I know there's questions about those areas of my game," he said. "My goal is to improve my shot and my dribbling so much so that those questions are answered."
Before he shot, jumped and dribbled for NBA teams, he worked on his game at UCLA with Gilbert Arenas (Arizona), Troy Murphy (Notre Dame) and Kenny Satterfield (Cincinnati).
Former NBA player Kiki Vandeweghe and Rick Carlisle, before he was hired as the Detroit Pistons' coach, were among the instructors tutoring the prospects.
"Jason is a spectacular young player," Carlisle said. "I've seen very few young players that have his combination of strength, shooting ability and competitiveness."
Richardson vows to continue working on his game, even after he becomes a millionaire later this year.
"I think a lot of guys think they've made it when they get drafted and then they stop working," Richardson said. "I'm not going to be content on draft day because that's just going to be a start. My goal is to win championships and be a player that people say was one of the best when I retire. I'm going to keep working hard and I'm going to keep my feet on the ground off the court."
To help ensure that Richardson doesn't get distracted by the temptations that come with being a pro athlete, his uncle and father-figure, Brian Bowen, will live with him during his rookie year.
"I think Jason would be fine without me because he's got a good head on his shoulders," Bowen said. "But I'm going to be around just to be sure because he's still only 20 years old."
By LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer
