Scouting report"
: Nice size and well-built at 6-foot-6, which is prototypical for an NBA 2-guard ... Long and athletic ... Wingspan is a massive 7-foot ... Has the potential to fill out his frame nicely ... Versatile player, especially on the offensive end ... Has a smoothness to his game ... Capable of getting hot from three when in rhythm ... Can shoot off the dribble with his feet set ... Has an effective one-dribble (with either hand) pull-up jumper ... Has solid scoring instincts ... Capable of taking his man off the dribble ... Loves to take advantage of one-on-one situations ... Attacking style offensive player, making him a consistent threat to get to the rim ... Good at finding ways to slash and slither his way to the basket and finish ... When he gets to the rim, he's shown that he can finish in traffic and with either hand ... He can also finish through contact ... Effective scorer/finisher in transition ... Has a nice burst off the dribble ... Can play above the rim ... Has shown that he can facilitate an offense in the half-court ... His passing ability is a bit underrated ... Makes good use of an array or ball fakes ... Shows good lateral quickness on the defensive end ... His length, athleticism and competitiveness/effort makes him a great defender on the perimeter ... Does a great job playing the passing lanes and forcing turnovers ... Plays with passion and a high effort level ... Has a strong work ethic ... Even as a freshman, he displayed good leadership qualities and often led his teammates by example ...
Overall: Richardson, a former McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic selectee, averaged 13.3 points on 36 percent shooting, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists while starting every game this season for Syracuse ... The freshman saw his draft stock rise after putting up a string of solid performances throughout the NCAA Tournament, including scoring 23 points – 21 in the second half – to lead the Orange to comeback victory over Virginia in the Elite Eight. He also scored 17 points in the team's Final Four loss to North Carolina. Although Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim often got on Richardson for his poor shot selection, he was able to make up for it by playing well when it mattered the most. In a nutshell, Richardson is an attacking guard and a streaky shooter who can shoot the lights out on any given night. If his ball-handling, decision-making and overall shooting consistency continues to improve then he can be terrific scorer at the next level. He's a bit of a raw talent but has a ton of upside and will likely get selected mid-to-late first round of this year's draft if he decides to not return for his sophomore season.