Thoughts on Hunter Dickinson, Jase Richardson, and Rylan Griffen in the Kansas-Michigan State Game in the Champions Classic

November 19th, 2024

This time around, I decided to watch Kansas and Michigan State play in a November 12th Champions Classic game, with thanks to YouTube via The Draftmatic. Michigan State’s 6-3 point guard Jase Richardson (who is the son of former NBA dunk champ and star swingman Jason Richardson) has seemed to be generating some draft buzz due to his solid blend of shooting, playmaking, and defensive skills early this season, and this game was an opportunity to watch him play against a top tier team such as Kansas. In this game, Kansas’ 7-2 senior center, Hunter Dickinson dominated to help his team get the win. Here are my thoughts on how Dickinson, Richardson, and other various prospects fared, as well as how their games may translate to the NBA.

Hunter Dickinson scored 28 points and had 12 rebounds and also made a three-pointer to lead Kansas to a win over Michigan State in the Champions Classic in Atlanta. (Photo: Getty Images, via CBS Sports)

Hunter Dickinson had a strong showing to help lead his team to a win over Michigan State. He used his vast size, strength, and solid scoring touch to dominate on offense and on the boards, and Dickinson managed to score 28 points and collect 12 rebounds in this game. Dickinson was incredibly effective at scoring out of the post. His vast size and strength would allow him to carve out space on the block, as he would often score on jump hooks, and he also can use shoulder fakes and ball fakes to score down low. He has good footwork and shooting touch to go along with having great size and strength, and on one play, he used a quick spin and a ball fake to score around the basket. He also was able to score o a two-handed dunk another time. He also was very effective at getting the ball on short rolls, which would enable him to score on smooth jumpers from around the mid-range. He also managed to score on a tip-in. He also made an open three off the catch to showcase his range.

He also displayed adequate playmaking skills. Dickinson is an unselfish player that will look to find the open man, and he also can find cutters as well as pass out of the post to set up scoring chances for his teammates. He also set hard, firm on-ball screens to help get his teammates open driving lanes and jump shots due to having a big, strong wide frame, and Dickinson was extremely effective as a screen setter on offense. Plus, he also did a great job of rebounding the basketball. He has a keen nose for the ball, and he was able to haul in plenty of boards on both ends of the floor.

Also, Dickinson played adequate defense in this game. He would intercept errant passes to get steals. He also has great size and strength that allows him to hold position when defending in the post to force misses. He also would rotate to contest shots off of drives to force misses, and he made a more concerted effort to contest mid-range jumpers to get stops for his team. On the downside, he and his team would often struggle to defend in screen situations, as he would over-hedge and not rotate back to the roll man in time, and he would not communicate effectively to his teammates when defending in screen situations. Another time, he sagged too far on a switch, which allowed an opposing ball handler to score on a floater.

In general, Dickinson put forth an excellent performance, and he is showing why he is one of the best players in college basketball. As for how his game may translate to the NBA, it gets a little murkier. While he should be fine offensively, his limited mobility and defensive struggles could put a ceiling on his upside at the NBA level. Still, he is a strong, skilled big man that could project to be a serviceable role player in the NBA.

Jase Richardson made an impact off the bench, as he excelled at making plays on both ends of the floor, especially in the first half in Michigan State’s November 12th loss to Kansas. (Photo: USATSI, via CBS Sports)

Michigan State’s 6-3 freshman guard, Jase Richardson had a solid showing in his team’s tough loss to Kansas. He had a very impressive first half, but he wasn’t able to keep up his strong play in the second half as he received limited playing time and touches down the stretch.

Richardson showed a fairly solid ability to score off the dribble. He was able to run off a ball screen and dribbled to his left to score on a smooth finger roll. He also managed to drive quickly to his left to score on the break. However, there was another time where he missed on a contested running floater after going to his left.

He also was able to use a crossover move to make a smooth, stepback three while getting fouled to showcase a good shooting touch from the outside. On the other hand, he missed a contested step-back mid-range jumper from the baseline. While Richardson looked to predominantly go to his left, he showed that he can go to his right every once in a while.

He also passed and handled the ball well. Richardson showed a knack for making passes off the dribble to find the open man, and he possesses solid court vision. He also was able to get the ball on a quick cut and drive to the hoop to find a teammate around the basket to notch an assist. He also took good care of the basketball, as he did not turn the ball over in this game.

Also, Richardson was able to help out on the glass to get some defensive boards, and he would quickly push the ball up the floor afterwards. He also played solid defense in this game. Richardson is a tenacious defender that would fight to stay in front of his man, as he was able to contest a couple of pull-up jumpers to force misses. On one play though, he rotated but gave up too much space to a taller opponent when contesting a three to give up the basket.

In summary, Jase Richardson played well in his team’s loss to Kansas. He is an agile, skilled playmaker that competes hard on both ends of the floor, and he tended to make sound plays on the floor. He’ll need to be more assertive on offense on a consistent basis and establish that he can be a reliable three-point shooter, but his high basketball IQ, skill set, and intangibles could enable Richardson to be a solid, game managing point guard similar to Orlando Magic point guard, Cole Anthony in the NBA.

Kansas’ 6-6 swingman, Rylan Griffen had a fairly solid showing in his team’s win over Michigan State. He is an athletic, 3 and D swingman that showed off a solid all-around game to help his team get the victory. He showed a fairly solid ability to knock down open spot-up threes off the catch. He also generally excelled at scoring off the dribble, as he also made a smooth pull-up jumper from the mid-range. He was a bit streaky with his outside shot and he would sometimes miss on tough contested shots at the rim, but Griffen showed off versatile scoring skills in this game.

Also, Griffen showcased satisfactory playmaking skills. He did a good job of making passes off the dribble, and he can make an assortment of passes due to possessing solid passing skills and court vision. On the downside, he dropped a catchable pass out of bounds once, and he also threw a pass that sailed out of bounds due to miscommunication.

He also did a decent job of rebounding the basketball. Griffen also played satisfactory defense. He was able to rotate to block a shot hard off of a roll to a teammate due to possessing solid athleticism, timing, and instincts. He also is a tenacious defender that would stay in front of his man and contest shots off the dribble to force plenty of misses. On one play though, he closed out too hard on a shooter that led him to commit a foul and give up a three-point basket. He also took a bad angle to defend drive and got beat off the dribble, which led him to commit a foul. Another time, he and his teammate got confused as who to guard, as they give up a basket to a ball handler at the rim.

Overall, Griffen played fairly well, as he showcased a solid set of all-around skills, and he is an unselfish player that projects well into a 3 and D role at the NBA level. He is currently a second round prospect, and he could end up being a solid role player in the NBA.

Flory Bidunga also played well, especially in the first half in Kansas’ win over Michigan State. He is a very athletic, energetic big man that excelled as a finisher and shot blocker around the basket. Bidunga did a great job of throwing down thunderous dunks on offense, and he also used a drop step move on offense. He did a fairly solid job of scoring out of the post, but sometimes he would do too much, which would lead to some misses.

Though he didn’t grab many rebounds in this game, he was able to get a defensive board once. On the other hand, he would tend to commit over the back fouls when going for offensive rebounds. Defensively, he looked to be fairly average in this game. Bidunga was able to rotate to block a shot hard to a teammate. He also closed out on an opposing ball handler out on the perimeter and stay with his man to contest a shot off of a drive to force a miss. On the downside, he tended to play too aggressively, which would lead him to commit fouls and allow scores. Another time, he and a teammate guarded the same guy down low and no one guarded a three-point shooter, which led their team to give up a basket from the outside.

Overall, Bidunga was able to make some impressively athletic plays in this game, and he is an energetic, athletic big man that could project to be a solid rotational big man in the NBA. He’ll need to be a more disciplined defender in games and will need to expand his skill set offensively, but he is a talented prospect that could move up draft boards in the future.

Jeremy Fears Jr. had a decent showing in his team’s loss to Kansas. He is an agile, skilled playmaker that showed a knack for racking up assists, and he also was able to drive hard to the rim to get some speedy scores on offense. He showed a decent ability to score off the dribble. He was able to drive off a screen to score on a floater off the glass. He also showed that he can score on speedy, aggressive drives in transition in traffic. On the downside, he was prone to going in too fast and off-balanced, as he would also tend to miss shots due to rushing. He also struggled more from the outside, as he had trouble connecting on pull-up, mid-range jumpers.

Fears showcased solid playmaking skills in this game. He showed a knack for throwing crisp lobs and interior passes to find open teammates, and he can find them on the move to rack up assists. He also showed that he can make passes off the dribble and in transition, and he can kick balls out to shooters to get them open jump shots. On the downside, sometimes he would throw hasty, inaccurate passes that would get intercepted. Another time, he drove too fast and out of control, as he slipped and fell out of bounds while handling the ball.

Also, he was able to get his fair share of boards when he was on the floor. Defensively, he looked to be about average at best in this game. For the positives, he would run in to intercept passes to get steals. However, he struggled to defend opponents off the dribble or to get around screens, which would lead him to commit fouls and allow scores.

Overall, Fears played fairly well, as he especially shined as a facilitator on offense. He’ll need to be more consistent as a shot maker and he will need to do a better job of defending on the ball on a consistent basis, but he is an agile, skilled playmaker that could project well into a backup point guard role in the NBA.

Coen Carr also had a decent showing in his team’s loss to Kansas. He is an athletic, high-motor swingman that made energetic plays on both ends of the floor. He excelled at scoring on hustle plays, as he was able to score on a powerful dunk, as well as on a tip-in. He also showed a satisfactory ability to score off the dribble, and he managed to score on a strong drive in traffic once. He also attempted an open corner three, but missed that time. He didn’t seem to make any noteworthy passes, but after running the floor, he caught a long pass out of bounds to commit a turnover, as his foot landed out of bounds.

Also, Carr was able to collect boards on both ends of the floor. He also played fairly solid defense in this game. He was able to intercept an inbounds pass to get a steal. He also rotated to defend an opponent that was running off of a curl cut and contested a shot off of a drive to force a miss. He also would rotate and had appeared to block a couple of shots, but instead was called for a foul due to questionable officiating and for a goaltend another time. On the downside, he tried to intercept a pass but took a bad gamble when defending a taller player in the post, and his lack of elite size and bad gamble led him to give up an open dunk to his opponent. He also sagged too far off his man another time, which led him to allow an open three-point basket.

Overall, Coen Carr is an athletic, energetic swingman that projects into a defensive specialist role at the NBA level. He’ll need to improve his outside shot and playmaking skills, but he could be a solid prospect in the future if he can continue to improve and hone his overall game.

All in all, those are my thoughts on how Dickinson, Richardson, and other various prospects fared in this game. Thanks for reading.