Jase Richardson's first shot for the Orlando Magic showed exactly the reason why they wanted to take the point guard and why they considered him when they held the 16th pick in the Draft.
On the Magic's second possession, Richardson probed into the paint, stepped back, got around a screen and saw his defender duck under. So Richardson pulled up and drained a three.
Seeing three-pointers go down is always a good thing for this Magic team. And Richardson's efficiency as a shooter was one of the big attractors.
What makes him a fit though was his competitiveness and his toughness. That stood out to everyone as Richardson took the court for the first time in a Magic uniform.
More than any stat or shot that Richardson took, this is what stood out in his Summer League debut.
While some other targets the Orlando Magic could have looked at played well for the Sacramento Kings in their 84-81 win over the Magic in their Summer League opener, Richardson proved himself a worthy pick for the Magic.
His competitiveness will make the difference for him. And while he certainly seemed like he was getting his feet wet and comfortable with a new team and at the NBA level, his presence was still felt. Especially when the Magic seemed locked in to win the game.
Richardson finished with 14 points, making five of his eight shots and two of his three 3-pointers. He capped off a 12-0 run with a pass to Tristan da Silva in the corner for a three and then a tough finish at the rim to tie the game with about 90 seconds to play.
Orlando fell short because the offense ran out of gas after that and Sacramento made baskets down the stretch -- back-to-back buckets from Nique Clifford, to be precise. Richardson closed the game with a three at the final buzzer for some window dressing on his stats.
Richardson was not satisfied with that, knowing this is just the beginning. Orlando came up short and there is still much more for him to accomplish.
"I feel like I could have done a lot more," Richardson said after Thursday's game. "I'm still not fully 100 percent. But I feel like I can give more to the team."
The Magic needed some time to get on the same page and find their offensive flow after a slow start. But the game was a positive sign for the Magic rookie. He showcased why they made him the 25th pick nd that he will be someone who can work for this team.
Richardson still has hurdles to overcome
There are still a lot of things for him to clean up.
The Orlando Magic did not run him on the ball as the point guard very often -- Ethan Thompson and Tristan da Silva did a lot of the initiating. When Richardson did, his size became a factor going up against sophomore Devin Carter.
That will remain a storyline for Richardson. It is likely why he tumbled from just outside the Lottery to the end of the first round.
There will be things he cannot do effectively because of his lack of size. Carter was able to cause some deflections against him on offense. It turned out to be a physical game. Richardson's size may be the biggest detraction on the ball as he tries to see the floor in front of him and make passes.
"For me, just the pace of the game and the physicality," Richardson said after Thursday's game. "You saw it early, it was super physical with guys picking up full court, a lot of body checking and a lot of bumps. Just getting used to that, and I started feeling more comfortable with it as the game went on."
That is where Richardson's ability to score off the dribble will be clear. He hunted his three-point shot and got into rhythm. But he was still looking for his spots and how he could attack the basket. His ability to finish at the rim was as advertised.
But Richardson more than held his own defensively, where everyone thought his size might be his biggest disadvantage. The Magic still switched a ton defensively and even though Richardson picked up his share of fouls (four), he was willing to compete. He got his share of deflections too.
As much as anything that ability to compete matters a ton. That is the basis for everything and Richardson showed up.
The other options showed up
Still, everyone has a wondering eye when it comes to draft picks. There is no avoiding it.
And two of Orlando Magic fans' preferred targets -- Nique Clifford (24th overall, a pick before the Magic picks Jase Richardson) and Maxime Raynaud (42nd overall) -- were lined up on the other side of the court.
Raynaud was dominant through the early parts of the game, finishing with 16 points and five rebounds, making six of 11 shots overall and two of his five 3-pointers. Orlando's lack of size and willingness to switch often put him on smaller players. Orlando's defense in the first half was especially disorganized.
Clifford was mostly quiet offensively through the first half. But he finished with 17 points on 5-for-12 shooting. There was a lot of fouling and Clifford took advantage of that.
Richardson did not put up the gaudy numbers his draft mates might have. But Richardson still put up the kind of performance the Magic are looking for.
They saw him compete. They saw his shotmaking and decisionmaking. They saw his competitiveness. Those are all the things they want to build upon with him.
With more games still ahead, the hope is that he and everyone else will continue to improve with mor eplaying time. Richardson will still be nursing a sore ankle though, one he tweaked again with a nasty fall in the second quarter on an attack at the basket.
"He's not completely 100 percent, but his willingness to keep fighting," Magic Summer League coach Ameer Bahhur said. "It was a really physical game. He did a great job handling it for his first time out there. He didn't look sped up or rushed. He was in control. Definitely something to build on."
There is still a lot to learn and grow into while the team is in Las Vegas.
But even if the stats do not show it, the Magic saw a lot from Richardson. Plenty more to build upon.