Richie Saunders is going to be a fan-favorite in Memphis just as he was at BYU. Not simply because of his starchy family heritage, nor because of his flowing locks of blonde hair, but because he's the type of player who does the dirty work on the floor and is unafraid to make winning basketball plays, even if they won't appear on his stat line.
NBA expert Adam Finkelstein raved about how Memphis, a historically strong second-round drafting team, stole Saunders from the rest of the league with the 32nd overall pick.
"We saw a lot of proven, high-floor veterans get picked late in the first round yesterday. If Richie Saunders hadn't torn his ACL, I think he would have been in that category. The Memphis Grizzlies are the best second-round drafting team in the NBA, and they prove it every single year. [...] Richie Saunders isn't just an NBA player, he's going to be an NBA player for a long time."
Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor adds his voice to the chorus of Saunders praise, sharing how he believes Saunders is just another addition to the Grizzlies league-best draft week.
"A Plus for the Grizzlies," "They draft Cameron Boozer, [...] they draft Richie Saunders who I have the biggest basketball crush on. I had him ranked as a first-round pick last year, I had him in the first round this year."
"When I had Saunders on my podcast I asked him 'what are you most looking forward to when you get back on the court?' He said 'oh man, I can't wait to put a swim move on a defender and go crash the boards for a rebound.'"
"That sums up who Richie Saunders is."
Memphis had the best draft week in the NBA 🐶
— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) June 25, 2026
#Grizzlies #NBA #NBADraft (via The Kevin O'Connor Show) pic.twitter.com/SofLulbWt2
Richie proved night after night what he's capable of as a creator, three-point assassin, connective passer, and defender, and he did it all with the fire of a million imploding stars.
Maybe that's a bit hyperbolic, but I'm no so certain anything else goes through Saunders mind while on the basketball court. He's the type of player who will give teams everything they need and more when given the opportunity, and that's exactly why the Memphis Grizzlies rounded out their draft class with the Tater Tot King.
Kevin O'Connor has a basketball crush on Richie Saunders? Get in line, pal.
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