Jase Richardson has had to sit on the sidelines for much of the Orlando Magic's Summer League practices. A bothersome right ankle kept him from participating in any of the 5-on-5 runs during the team's preparations for Las Vegas.
That did not quiet him during practices, though. Even though Richardson could only participate in drills and, even then, teammates were not necessarily passing him the ball to limit his activity, he was still active in everything the team was doing. Richardson was still doing his part, trying to be involved.
Players said his voice still rang true. It was still a presence in all their practices.
Now it all leads up to the start of Summer League. Richardson will be on the floor.
Richardson was able to participate in practice on Wednesday as the team arrived in Las Vegas. He is expected to make his debut for the team in Thursday's Summer League opener against the Sacramento Kings.
Richardson will make his debut for the Magic on Thursday.
"I felt really good today," Richardson said after the team's practice on Wednesday. "Just to be able to get up and down with these guys after we worked so hard down in Orlando. just to finally be out there and To go up and down with them today was really fun."
It sets the stage for Richardson not only to make his debut in a Magic uniform, it also sets the stage for Richardson to begin answering the big question facing him in his young career: Whether he an take on more of a point guard and leadership role.
It will be the big question Richardson will begin to answer at Summer League, where he is expected to be the starting point guard for the Magic's Summer League team.
Richardson is eager to prove he can play point guard
That was something Jase Richardson did not always do in Michigan State's egalitarian offense. He averaged 12.1 points per game and shot 41.2 percent from three in his lone season in East Lansing. But he averaged only 1.9 assists per game.
His main role was to be a three-level scorer. He was not the main creator and playmaker. But when he measured at 6-foot-0.75 at the NBA Draft Combine, that suddenly became a problem. There is very little future in the NBA for guard that small who is not a solid playmaker.
Richardson has been eager to showcase those point guard skills since he got drafted to the NBA, insisting he put them on the backburner to help his team. He is still an excellent scorer. The Orlando Magic drafted him for that.
To make it at the next level, Richardson knows he will have to do more. And that is something he has to prove, beginning in Summer League.
Cleared to play, all eyes are on Richardson.
"He was a full go," Summer League coach Ameer Bahhur said. "His abiliy to pick up all the intricacies of what we're asking, especially at the point guard position, has been really impressive. His command of his teammates and the huddles to get us into what we're trying to execute has been really good. I'm looking forward to the carryover."
That is a positive sign. It will be the most fascinating thing to watch when Summer League begins. Richardson will have a lot of control and power as the lead ball handler. He may end up the leading scorer.
This is the exact challenge Richardson wanted to take. This is the role he wants to show. This is the challenge he wants to overcome.
Summer League is the chance for young players to find their voice and play NBA basketball for the first time. It is the chance to test things out in a low-risk situation. The team is finding out as much about the player as anything else.
This is a big thing they will find out about Richardson over the next week in Vegas. They are already seeing it through these early practices.
"I saw a lot," fellow rookie Noah Penda said after practice on Wednesday. "We worked out together. We were both in the same workout in the pre-draft process. So I know his game. He's super athletic for his size. Super quick. Great leader. He puts in a lot of energy and is really vocal. He can shoot the ball too. Overall, a great player."
All that is left to do is to go out and play. That is what everyone has been waiting for. Only in games can anybody prove anything.
The Magic are about to find out what they have.