It took just one season at Michigan State for Jase Richardson to wow NBA scouts who watched him play. In April, the 19-year old guard announced his declaration for the NBA Draft.

With efficient scoring and polished playmaking alongside some strong intangible traits, Richardson is a versatile prospect that could go to a number of different NBA teams. The Detroit News consulted two analysts, Matt Babcock of Babcock Hoops and Evan Miyakawa of EvanMiya.com, for their assessment of Richardson’s pro potential.

Richardson will work out at the NBA combine May 11-18, with the NBA Draft Lottery scheduled for May 12.

To both analysts, Richardson’s scoring ability, and with it efficiency, stand out. He can shoot 3-pointers from the corner, attack the rim on the drive and hit his free throws on the often times he draws a foul. Richardson averaged 12.1 points and 1.9 assists per game across the entire season and 16.1 points and 1.7 assists per game in 15 games as a starter. He shot 49.3% from the field, 41.2% on 3-pointers and 83.6% on free throws, percentages that suggest to Miyakawa that his shot can translate to the pro level.

So does Richardson’s ball security. He turned the ball over the least of Michigan State’s guard rotation. His turnovers actually went down a tick when he played more, from 0.9 per game off the bench to 0.7 as a starter.

“Something that really impressed me as a freshman was that he made plays for himself and for others without turning the ball over hardly at all,” Miyakawa said. “His turnovers grade at EvanMiya.com is in the top 10% nationally, which is really abnormal for a guard who has the ball in their hands as much as him.”

Added Babcock: “He does a lot of things that make him appealing as a prospect. He’s solid, consistent, has a terrific feel for the game, he’s a good shooter, and seems to impact winning.”

Michigan State (30-7, 17-3 Big Ten) marched all the way to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed after winning the Big Ten regular-season championship by three games. Richardson factored in more and more by the end of the season, becoming the leading force of a lineup built from abundant depth. He consistently put himself in positions to impact the game, whether that be running his lane in transition, finding open space in the half-court or hustling back on defense to grab a rebound.

“What stood out to me the most was his steady development throughout the season,” Babcock said. “He built real momentum down the stretch — his confidence, consistency, and ability to impact winning all took a jump, and that larger sample of quality play left the biggest impression.”

Along with steady improvement, that feel for the game is an area NBA teams value.

“Feel for the game is definitely an important trait,” Miyakawa said, “especially if you see it develop over the course of a single year in college. It shows that he is constantly improving and will continue to do so at the next level.”

Back in February, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo pointed out how he never thought Richardson was a “great” defender, but the freshman kept fooling him with how well he defended in games. Well in that case, Richardson must’ve fooled the models because Miyakawa’s defensive metrics are strong on him, too.

“Richardson had to show his defensive trustworthiness in order to be starting by the end of the year,” Miyakawa said. “Richardson had an adjusted team defensive efficiency of 87.4, which means that MSU gave up 87.4 points per 100 possessions while he was on the floor (adjusted for opponent strength), good for fifth best on the team. While he wasn’t one of the top defenders on the team, the fact that he falls right in the middle of a roster that was a top-five defense last year is a sign that he was more than capable of holding his own defensively.”

Some of the concerns with Richardson’s game are ones that are, literally and figuratively, out of his hands. Namely, that’s his height. At 6-foot-3, Richardson isn’t exactly Muggsy Bogues, but he is on the smaller size compared to some pro guards he would have to guard.

“For me, the biggest concern is Richardson’s size, especially for someone who plays more off the ball,” Babcock said. “That’s the main reason I have him a bit lower than where some others have him projected. I’m also curious to see if he measures at his listed 6-foot-3 at the combine. If his measurements come back on the taller side, that would help his case.”

There’s time, however, for Richardson to grow. In fact, that should be expected. Both Miyakawa and Babcock pointed out that Richardson is, by all means, a project for an NBA team. He may have to play in the G League, barring any major developments, to round out his game and gain a little size, if not in height than in muscle and weight.

“Richardson has many qualities that project well in a complementary role,” Babcock said. “As for whether he lands on a more established team or one that’s rebuilding, he’s only 19, so either way, there’s development ahead. In my view, it doesn’t make a huge difference where he starts. What matters is that he keeps getting better.”

That patience may, in some ways, be a benefit for Richardson. In a day and age when draft prospects are faced with enormous pressure to change the fate of an NBA team that drafts them, Richardson’s projections as a late first-rounder that will take time to develop might mean a more established organization drafts him. For a player who thrives alongside other good players, a more complete picture may benefit him. Miyakawa points to Brandin Podziemski’s Year 2 success with the Golden State Warriors as an example of this.

“Richardson is not necessarily the kind of player that an NBA franchise will be bringing in to be a big difference-maker in his first season in the NBA,” Miyakawa said. “I don’t think it matters too much whether he goes to a team that’s ready to win now or win later, but playing with a slightly more well-constructed team could give him more time to grow without the pressure to be a star player right away.”

Current mock drafts slot Richardson in the first round. Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report mocked him as high as 11th, and so did Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor. CBS Sports slotted Richardson 13th. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie pegged Richardson 19th. Babcock has Richardson in the mid-to-late first round.

“Honestly, it’s not that I don’t like him as a prospect (I do),” Babcock said. “It’s just that my objective evaluation landed a bit differently than the consensus.”

Babcock believes that as an undersized off-ball guard, Richardson will need to develop into a true combo guard. If he can, Babcock compared Richardson’s potential performance to Immanuel Quickley, the Toronto Raptors shooting guard who was the 25th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Where Richardson lands may be dictated by where teams fall in the draft lottery. Though the wording of his declaration statement reads with a firmness that suggests it’s NBA or bust for Richardson this summer, if he chooses to come back to college, he would need to withdraw by May 28, 10 days after combine.