‘I’m really impressed’: Ex-Gorman star among locals at Summer League

There’s a level of physicality and toughness that smaller guards need to play at in the NBA.

Former Bishop Gorman guard Jase Richardson showcased both of those traits in his NBA Summer League debut.

Richardson, who the Orlando Magic drafted in the first round at 25th overall out of Michigan State, battled through a lingering ankle injury in the second half and finished with 14 points in the Magic’s first Summer League contest.

The 6-foot-1-inch guard made 5 of 8 field goals and two 3-pointers as Orlando tried to rally after trailing most of the game but came up short in an 84-81 defeat to the Sacramento Kings on Thursday at Cox Pavilion.

“His willingness to keep fighting through a physical game we just played, he did a great job of handling it for the first time out there,” Orlando Summer League coach Ameer Bahhur said. “He didn’t really look sped up too much, not in a rush; he was in control. It’s definitely something to build on.”

Richardson, one of eight players participating at this year’s Summer League with ties to Las Vegas, said the physicality he’s seen through 1½ weeks practicing with the Magic is similar to what he saw in high school and college.

“I’m a smaller guard, so I’m used to people trying to be physical with me,” Richardson said. “I kind of expected that when I came in here, guys trying to go at me, be physical, try to body check me, all those bumps. I’ve been getting my body ready for that.”

Bahhur said he’s seen “tremendous growth” from Richardson in his short time with the team.

“He’s picking up everything that we’re doing and from that point guard position, being able to get everybody else in their spots as well,” said Bahhur, who spent two seasons (2018-20) as a part of the UNLV men’s basketball program as an assistant director of basketball operations and video coordinator.

“I’m really impressed with his leadership so far, and his resilience and toughness so far and he’ll just keep going up,” Bahhur added. “… He’s ready for (the physicality). He’ll embrace that challenge and I think he does a really good job of giving that physicality right back.”

‘Feeling more comfortable’

Richardson, the son of former NBA player Jason Richardson, played at Gorman for two seasons before transferring to Columbus (Florida) for his senior year.

He played at Michigan State last year and was a third-team All-Big Ten selection. Richardson averaged 12.1 points per game in his lone season with Michigan State and declared for the draft in April.

Richardson, a 2023 first-team All-Southern Nevada selection, said adjusting to the pace of the game is his top priority during Summer League. Against the Kings, Richardson missed about 10 minutes of game time in the third and fourth quarters with his injury. He scored on a transition layup with 1:27 left as part of a 12-0 Orlando run to tie the game at 74-74 before the Kings closed out the game.

“You saw it early (against the Kings). It was super physical,” Richardson said. “Guys picking up full court, a lot of body checking, a lot of bumps, so just getting used to that and I started feeling more comfortable with it as the game went on.”

Richardson credited his mom, Jackie Paul Richardson, for developing his basketball IQ through the drills she put him through as his coach. Once his father retired from the NBA after a 14-year career, Jase Richardson said the two would watch film and break down games together.

While Richardson said he saw some “familiar faces” in the crowd, he said his parents were not there. Instead, they were with his younger brother Jaxon Richardson, for the Nike Peach Jam AAU tournament in Georgia.

“I’m second on the priority list right now,” Jase Richardson said with a grin.

Other locals

Several former UNLV players are suiting up for Summer League teams. Donovan Williams (Denver), Elijah Harkless, (Utah), David Muoka (Chicago), Moses Wood (Phoenix), Caleb Grill (Chicago) and Keshon Gilbert (Washington) are all on Summer League rosters.

Harkless, a 2023 second-team All-Mountain West selection in his lone season for UNLV, started for Utah on Friday and recorded five points and four steals.

Wood scored nine points and added four assists in Phoenix’s 103-84 win over Washington on Friday. For Chicago on Friday, Muoka had four points and five rebounds and Grill, who was undrafted this year out of Missouri, recorded six points.

Gilbert, who played high school basketball at Durango, and Williams did not appear in their team’s opening game.

Maxwell Lewis, who played high school basketball at Losee, is with the Dallas Mavericks. He scored eight points and added four rebounds and three assists in Dallas’ 87-85 win over the Lakers on Thursday.

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.