Michigan State basketball: Jase Richardson on his NBA draft choice, Xavier Booker on future

AI-aided summary

• Michigan State’s basketball season concluded with a defeat to Auburn in the Elite Eight.
• Jase Richardson, a freshman guard, is considering joining the NBA draft.
• Xavier Booker, a sophomore forward, is considering transferring from Michigan State.

ATLANTA — Hugs and tears were plentiful. The feelings were raw and genuine.

Michigan State basketball’s NCAA tournament journey ended abruptly with a 70-64 loss to Auburn in the Elite Eight on Sunday, marking the end of the season.

And raised doubts about what happens next. Particularly for Jase Richardson and Xavier Booker, who are at opposite extremes of the spectrum.

Richardson emerged as MSU’s go-to offensive player after joining the starting lineup in early February, making his way into the first rounds of NBA mock draft boards. Starting the Spartans’ last 15 games, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound rookie combo guard scored 16.1 points per game, shooting 42% from three, collecting 4.6 rebounds, and giving out 1.7 assists.



When asked about his plans, Richardson, who averaged 12.3 points this season, said he will consider entering the NBA draft when he returns to East Lansing.

“I’ll talk to my family, talk to my teammates, talk to my coaches, kind of figure out what’s the next best step for me, just considering that,” he said in MSU’s gloomy locker room. “It’s a lot to lose in this way, especially when you’re so close to achieving a goal you truly desire. I mean, I truly adored the coaching staff and everyone else around here. So that’s going to play a lot.

MSU coach Tom Izzo has been impressed with Richardson’s family’s handling of the increased attention as their son matured as a pro possibility this season. Richardson’s father is former MSU and NBA great Jason, and his mother is Jackie Paul-Richardson, who coached Jase.



“I’ve already talked to Jason and his mum,” Izzo told reporters. “I believe he needs to test the waters, just because that is the way things are now. But they will do anything they want. … That will be months away, so I wouldn’t predict.”

Richardson scored only six points on 1-for-10 shooting in MSU’s second-round win over New Mexico, recovered for 20 points in the Sweet 16 win over Mississippi, and then struggled to find shots Sunday against Auburn, going 4-for-13 for 11 points.

“This is just going to motivate me to work harder,” Richardson remarked. “You lose games like this, and it sticks with you for the rest of the offseason. You’ll be watching the Final Four, and we’ll think we were meant to be there. It will surely be utilised as fuel.”

Max Christie, who was selected in the second round (35th overall) in the 2022 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, is currently with the Dallas Mavericks after leaving MSU after his freshman season.

Jason Richardson attended MSU for two seasons before becoming professional, earning the national championship as a freshman and returning in 2000-01 to reach another Final Four. Mateen Cleaves, his then-teammate, waited a year before leaving for the NBA, winning the championship with MSU in 2000. Others have chosen to remain Spartans and pursue their objectives, which Jase Richardson mentioned are on his mind as he considers his options.

“I’ve always wanted to reach the Final Four. “I’ve told myself since I was six that I’m going to play in the Final Four,” he stated. “So really, it’s a big goal of mine that I really want to accomplish.”

Booker’s sophomore season did not go as anticipated, thus the issue is whether he will continue at MSU or seek transfer alternatives.

The 6-11, 240-pound forward and former five-star recruit, who averaged 4.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 12.8 minutes over 33 games, went from a starter early in the season to a role player during Big Ten games, the 10th man in the conference tournament, and only 3 minutes of mop-up time in the NCAA tournament opener against Bryant.

Following his third consecutive DNP in the Spartans’ defeat to Auburn, Booker was asked in the locker room about next season.

“Right now, I’m just trying to take it in, just take everything in and especially to cherish these last moments with the seniors,” Booker told reporters. “It has been a long year. We all formed strong ties with one another over the course of the year, so it’s unfortunate that things ended the way it did.

“You’ll look back in a few days or a week and be happy of the big picture and what we’ve done this year. It’s sorry to see it go, but we have more work to accomplish during the summer.”