Richie Saunders had an incredible 2024-25 season, garnering All-Big 12 First Team along with Most Improved Player honors in the conference. Beyond the individual accolades, he led the Cougars to the Sweet 16 in one of the best basketball seasons in BYU history.
It still remains to be seen if he will return to Provo for one final season, or if he'll go pro. Here are the 1,000,003 reasons why Richie should stay at BYU for one more year:
Reason No. 1 through No. 1,000,000 - NIL
First, Richie Saunders will make more money in his final season of college basketball than he will in his first season of professional hoops. Many reports indicate he’ll deservedly command more than $1 million in NIL, a sum BYU’s committed boosters will gladly pony up. Throw in other traditional NIL arrangements like the nationally-popular Tater Tots deal he signed with Ore-Ida, and one more year in Provo could be very lucrative.
Even if Richie was selected somewhere near the end of the second round of the NBA Draft (which is far from a sure thing), it's important to remember second round contracts aren't guaranteed. It's not uncommon for second round picks to go unsigned or linger for years in the G League before flaming out or heading overseas.
Second round picks who defy the odds and make an NBA roster often do so on a two-way contract. Two-way contracts are paid half the salary of a rookie minimum salary, or about $600,000, a sum far less than Richie could make in a final season at BYU.
Reason No. 1,000,001 - He likely won’t get drafted
Why will Richie make more money in a final year at BYU than in his first professional season? The answer is simple: It’s highly unlikely Saunders will be selected in the NBA Draft.
Now, I love Richie. He’s my favorite current BYU basketball player. I’m not besmirching him here, just point out the reality he’s facing with his NBA dreams.
As I’ve previously written, NBA teams find little upside investing draft picks in players age-22 and over. Richie is already 23, the same age as established NBA players like Anthony Edwards, Cade Cunningham, and Jalen Williams. At 23, NBA scouts think Richie has already reached his ceiling. They’d rather invest their time and money in a 19-year-old and see how he develops over the next four years.
Reason No. 1,000,002 - Pro ball will still be there in 2026
The fact that Richie likely won’t get drafted doesn’t mean he can’t have an NBA career. He absolutely can! His route to get there will likely be as an undrafted player invited to Summer League and then perhaps the developmental G League.
While he doesn’t have the size or elite athleticism that most NBA players possess, Richie’s game translates well to the NBA. Every NBA team is looking for 3-and-D guys with quick releases, can get to the rim, and play solid perimeter defense. That’s Richie in a nutshell. Given Kevin Young’s NBA connections, some smart front office like the Boston Celtics or Oklahoma City Thunder would likely give him an invitation to Summer League, then it’s up to Richie to make the most of it.
And if he doesn’t land in the NBA, there’s always Europe. According to Grok’s AI analysis, the average salary for a starting player in the EuroLeague is somewhere between $400,000 and $600,000. That’s good money, and Richie could make that salary for years to come in Europe.
Reason No. 1,000,003 - Win the Natty!
After leading BYU to the Sweet 16 this year, the ultra-competitive Saunders has to be aching for another shot at the national championship. With AJ Dybantsa, the nation’s No. 1 high school recruit, coming to Provo next year, the Cougars could be in the mix for a deep tournament run if Richie returns.
Richie Saunders is already beloved in Provo.
Another year at BYU could make him a legend.
That alone might be reason enough to run it back, one last time.