Jase Richardson officially declares for 2025 NBA Draft, with no plans to withdraw

The dreaded news has now been confirmed: Jase Richardson is entering the NBA draft.

While this announcement stings, it hardly comes as a surprise.

After the season ended, Tom Izzo spoke to the media, expressing hope that Richardson would at least test the NBA draft waters and get an idea of where he stands. It seems that’s exactly what he’s doing.

In fact, it appears that Richardson is staying in the draft regardless, according to a report from Justin Thind.

Although there’s no certainty in college basketball, Richardson’s declaration for the NBA draft feels like a done deal. As much as it would have been great to see him return for his sophomore year as a legitimate National Player of the Year contender, this move is the most logical for him. He has shown enough to be projected as a lottery pick.

While this decision is hard to accept, it does benefit Michigan State’s recruiting efforts. Izzo now has another example of his ability to develop top-tier talent.

Richardson arrived at Michigan State with NBA potential, but few expected him to be a one-and-done player. He far surpassed expectations in his freshman year, becoming the team’s best player and helping lead the Spartans to a Big Ten championship and an Elite Eight appearance.

With Richardson officially out, Izzo can now focus on the transfer portal to find players who fit his system. Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Spartans will have just eight players on the roster, including Cam Ward and Jordan Scott joining, while returning players include Jeremy Fears Jr., Coen Carr, Jaxon Kohler, Carson Cooper, Kur Teng, and Jesse McCulloch.