Former Michigan State star Jase Richardson's early prediction on one Oklahoma City Thunder star resurfaces following their NBA Finals victory

Former Michigan State guard Jase Richardson had a stellar freshman season under coach Tom Izzo as the Spartans reached the Elite Eight of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. After the Big Dance, Richardson declared for the 2025 NBA draft and was invited to the combine.

Two days after the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers to win the NBA championship, a clip posted on the "NBA Future Starts Now" Instagram page from last year resurfaced of Richardson predicting about OKC star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

"He's already having one this year but I think he's gonna keep having more, I think Shai, Shai is gonna keep breaking them," Richardson said.

Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points (on 51.9% shooting, including 37.5% from beyond the arc), 5.0 rebounds and 6.4 assists this season. He was named both the regular season and NBA Finals MVP.

Jase Richardson reveals NBA advice from legendary coach

Jase Richardson was a key contributor for the Michigan State Spartans, averaging 12.1 points (on 49.3% shooting, including 42.1% from beyond the arc), 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists last season. He started as a bench option before working his way into the starting lineup.

During an interview with Forbes last week, Richardson revealed that outspoken Michigan State coach Tom Izzo advised him to declare for the NBA draft rather than spend an extra season in college basketball.

“I didn’t come to Michigan State with the idea of being a one-and-done player," Richardson said. "At first, I was just grateful to be playing as a freshman under Izzo. But as the season went on, I kind of just felt the trust of him and my teammates keep going up.

"When that happened, it became a possibility. I was like, ‘Hey, I could really, I could really do this.’ And then, I had to talk with Coach, and he kind of just agreed. He was like, 'Yeah, I can’t see you staying here one more year. You need to go.’ So, I think that was really like the main thing that told me, 'Yeah, I think I’m ready to do this.' ”

In the latest CBS Sports mock draft before the 2025 NBA draft, Jase Richardson was projected to be the No. 15 pick by the newly crowned NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder.