Rookie Guard Jase Richardson Gives Orlando Solid Minutes Off the Bench

The Orlando Magic have had an up-and-down start to the 2025-26 NBA campaign.

While the group currently holds the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference, Orlando sits at 17-14 on the season. That certainly isn't a bad mark at this point in the year, many observers assumed the Magic would be closer to the top of the East after trading for Desmond Bane over the offseason.

Bane has been solid for Orlando, but former top pick Paolo Banchero has taken a step back in his scoring output and efficiency. That, alongside other factors, has resulted in the team not enjoying the success some analysts believed the Magic would find coming into the year.

That continued with a 120-105 loss at the hands of Charlotte the day after Christmas, a contest that saw star rookie Kon Knueppel play just 15 minutes. Knueppel tallied 16 points, 3 rebounds and an assist before leaving the game with an injury, shooting 5-of-7 from the field and 4-of-4 from beyond the arc.

Orlando also received a solid performance from its first-round pick despite the loss, as Jase Richardson shot 5-of-7 from the field, 1-for-2 from 3-point range and 3-of-4 from the free throw line.

The young guard finished with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 0 turnovers while finishing as a -4 in the box score of a game that the Magic lost by 15 points. While Richardson hasn't earned the same amount of time on the court that some of his other rookie couterparts have, the 20-year-old has started to find his rythym recently.

In the past week, Richardson has scored in double figures three times. Against Utah on Dec. 20, Richardson finished with10 points, 3 assissts and a rebound while helping Orlando to a one-point win in overtime.

Two days later, Richardson notched 11 points, 4 rebounds, a steal and a block against Golden State. Prior to Dec. 20, the No. 25 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft had scored in double figures just once as a professional.

That came in a loss to Boston on Nov. 23, as Richardson tallied 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 0 turnovers while shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, Richardson's size could make it difficult to score and defend against bigger guards in the NBA. Despite that, Jase, the son of former Slam Dunk Contest champion and NBA All-Rookie team honoree Jason Richardson, has great feel for the game and solid perimeter shooting acumen, which has allowed him to emerge for Orlando.

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