Magic Sign Ex-Teammate of Jase Richardson To Summer League Roster

First-round pick Jase Richardson will soon make his debut for the Orlando Magic in the summer league. Now, an old running mate will join him.

Michigan State Spartans guard Jase Richardson (11) drives against Auburn Tigers center Dylan Cardwell (44) during the second half in the South Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament at State Farm Arena. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Orlando Magic guard Jase Richardson is gearing up to play in the Summer League, where a familiar face will join him.

The Magic added Jaden Akins to the Summer League Roster, a 6-foot-4 guard who played with Richardson at Michigan State. The backcourt duo of Richardson and Akins propelled the Spartans to an Elite 8 appearance last season.

Akins spent all four collegiate seasons at Michigan State, defying the norms of the modern college basketball landscape. After being the only player on the team to start all 35 games in his junior season, he returned for his senior year and led the team in scoring.

Akins is a combo guard who can score at will. With a quick first step, he can get into the paint and create opportunities. However, there is a mild concern within his perimeter game.

After converting a career-high 42.2 percent of his 3-point attempts in his sophomore season, Akins' numbers from the arc began to free-fall. Last season, Akins shot a career-low 29.3 percent from deep.

Despite the dip, Akins shows enough promise to get back on track from the 3-point line. Moreover, he will benefit from the familiarity of having his Michigan State running mate Richardson on the court with him.

Orlando looks for a better result after it went 2-3 in the 2024 Summer League. 6-foot-8 forward Tristan da Silva is the only returning player from last year's roster. Last season, da Silva saw an increased role with the Magic due to injuries. Now, he will headline the 2025 Summer League roster with Richardson and Akins.

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