Oregon Basketball: Projected starting 5 after Chandler Lawson transfer

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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 22: Will Richardson #0 of the Oregon Ducks looks to pass the ball guarded by Joe Toussaint #1 of the Iowa Hawkeyes in the second round game of the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 22, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

Will Richardson could be in for a big jump in 2021-22 as the leader of the Ducks. He didn’t have to worry about being a focal point on offense with guys like Chris Duarte, Eugene Omoruyi and LG Figueroa all leading the team in scoring with at least 12 points each and Eric Williams Jr. was also there to take some pressure off the big three.

Richardson quietly still had a great season, averaging 11.3 points, 3.9 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 44 percent from the field and 40 percent from deep.

With three guys who carried the load in scoring, averaging over 11 points per game was impressive for the junior guard and former top-50 recruit.

Now Richardson will be looked at to be that go-to scorer with Duarte and Omoruyi gone and also a 3-point specialist — Duarte and Figueroa took the most deep shots on the team. If he can step up his scoring and play solid defense again, he’ll be a serious Pac-12 Player of the Year candidate and some people don’t truly realize that.

Shooting 40 percent from deep, averaging 11.3 points with three legit scorers on the roster and being a playmaker for others was just the first step toward his inevitable breakout.

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