Richie Saunders is a right-handed shooting guard who, when healthy, is an outstanding catch-and-shoot/spot-up option. Before suffering a season-ending torn ACL on Feb. 14, 2026, Saunders averaged 18.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. He played all four seasons at BYU and shot 38.7% from three-point range for his career. This season, he made 81.7% from the free throw line. At 6'5" with a 6'8.75" wingspan and a 204-pound frame, Saunders has decent size for a NBA shooting guard. His value is tied most clearly to shooting, toughness, and reliability. Saunders is known as a gym rat, and most believe he will return to form because of his work habits. That said, any ACL injury can rob a player of some degree of explosion, and Saunders will turn 25 before the NBA season begins. With rehab still ahead, he may not debut any time soon. Saunders is not just a standstill shooter. He has an array of floaters and half-hooks that one would expect from a grinder guard. He is right-handed but uses his left hand well. His 1.26-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in 2025-26 suggests he is more of a play-finisher than a creator, but he generally understands his role. Defensively, Saunders helped BYU. His DDiff of plus 2.1 shows the Cougars were better on defense with him on the floor. In 2024-25, he was named First Team All-Big 12, so there is a track record of high-level college production. We like Saunders, but given his age and the ACL recovery, we would probably rather take a flyer on a younger, higher-ceiling prospect. But at some point in THIS Draft, Saunders becomes potentially better than what is left.
