USA TODAY Sports projects Jase Richardson to be the 17th pick in the NBA draft, going to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Richardson’s performance improved throughout his freshman season, showcasing his skills as a shooter, facilitator, and defender.

While initially considered a lottery pick, Richardson’s draft stock has recently fallen, with other outlets projecting him later in the first round.

The NBA Draft begins Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET.

Where will Jase Richardson land in the NBA Draft tomorrow night? The draft experts at USA TODAY Sports think it’ll be just outside the lottery.

USA TODAY Sports has released its final mock projection ahead of the NBA Draft tomorrow night, and they have the Spartans star freshman landing as a near lottery pick. In USA TODAY Sports final NBA Mock Draft, Jase Richardson is slated as the No. 17 overall pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Here’s what they had to say about Richardson:

“Richardson improved as the season progressed and turned into the Spartans’ steady hand with the basketball as a shooter (inside and out) and facilitator. He is an active defender with surprising bouts of athleticism. He also has a knack for collecting rebounds, big plays and poise under pressure. He had an up-and-down NCAA Tournament in four games – 5-for-11 shooting and 15 points against Bryant, 1-for-10 shooting against New Mexico, 20 points on 6-for-8 shooting against Ole Miss, and 4-for-13 shooting against Auburn.”

Richardson was once considered a favorite to land in the lottery after a stellar freshman campaign with the Spartans — where he averaged 12.1 points per game and shot above 40% from three-point range. But he has recently started to slip down the draft board, with ESPN having him landing late in the first round in their most recent mock draft, and Yahoo Sports having him lower than USA TODAY Sports as well. Still, it seems clear that Richardson should have his name called somewhere in the first round.

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The NBA Draft will begin on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, with the first round taking place on the opening night. The NBA Draft will continue on Thursday night with the second round.

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