Rookie Jase Richardson continuing to help Magic: ‘We’re going to need him’

5 days ago 2

Last Sunday’s game between the Magic and Pacers marked the 36th contest of the regular season for Orlando.

That number happens to be the same amount of games rookie Jase Richardson played during his lone season at Michigan State before he declared for the NBA.

Although Richardson has only appeared in 25 of the 36 contests so far in his rookie campaign, the near first-half of his first year as a professional has been tiring for the 20-year-old who’s continued to adjust to his new life in Orlando.

“I’m not going to lie, I’m exhausted,” Richardson said after the Magic outlasted the Pacers at Kia Center. “It feels like Game 66 already, but (I’m) just maintaining my body, making sure I’m staying as positive as I can (and) staying healthy.”

While the experience has been taxing at times for the young guard whom the Magic took No. 25 in June’s draft, Richardson has only grown more comfortable each time he steps on the court.

“I just kind of feel my confidence growing from each game, just learning something new,” he said.

His numbers back up his talk.

Before facing the Wizards on the road Tuesday night, Richardson had appeared in each of the past 11 games, averaging 7.7 points on 37.9% shooting from 3-point range with 1.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and half-a-steal during 16.9 minutes per night.

In his most recent outing, when he played a season-high 27 minutes against the Pacers, Richardson knocked down two 3-pointers to finish with 12 points, four assists and zero turnovers.

Magic guard Desmond Bane, who specifically pointed out that Richardson ended with a team-best plus-minus rating of plus-14 against Indiana, saw firsthand over the summer the type of player the rookie could be for Orlando.

“The thing that I learned about that kid from the first week is, he’s not scared of the moment,” Bane said. “Open gym, I’m chirping at him, going at him and he (was) coming right back at me, so I was like, ‘OK, I like this kid.’

“He was in the game in the fourth quarter playing very meaningful minutes,” Bane added. “It’s big for him, big for his development, and we’re going to need him. We’re going to need to continue to lean on him.”

What Richardson lacks in height (he’s listed at 6-foot-1), he makes up for with his energy on both ends of the court.

He’s scored in double figures five times and has recorded at least one steal eight times.

The Magic will continue to need more of the same from Richardson as the team operates without All-Defensive guard Jalen Suggs, who was ruled out of Tuesday’s contest at Washington after previously being listed as doubtful on the team’s initial injury report due to a right knee Grade 1 MCL bruise.

Orlando travels to Brooklyn on Wednesday for the second night of a back-to-back on the road.

“Whether he’s getting five minutes or 15, 20 minutes, he’s just coming out there with a lot of energy,” teammate Paolo Banchero said about Richardson. “He’s just aggressive and we want him to be aggressive when he’s out there.

“He just does a great job of coming in there and giving us a spark.”

Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com