Son of former NBA dunk champion announces college decision

Jase Richardson is officially heading to his father’s old stomping grounds.

Jase, the teenage son of former NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion Jason Richardson, announced this weekend that he has committed to Michigan State University, his dad’s alma mater.

“From the moment I stepped on campus for my official visit there was a real connection with the players and coaches,” the younger Richardson told Paul Biancardi of ESPN. “It felt like family.”

A 6-foot-3 point guard and a four-star recruit, Richardson is a top-40 prospect in the 2024 class. He currently plays for Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nev. and said that he chose Michigan State over the likes of Alabama and Cincinnati.

Dad Jason played at Michigan State under Tom Izzo from 1999-01, helping them win the NCAA title in 2000. He then went on to play 14 years in the NBA and won two straight Slam Dunk Contests in 2002 and 2003. These days, Richardson is in his early 40s and still throwing down impressive jams.

Jase now becomes a legacy recruit for the Spartans, who are still coached by Izzo. It is possible that Richardson could eventually be joined by younger brother Jaxon Richardson – an exciting prospect in his own right – too.