Richie Saunders (basketball)
American basketball player (born 2001)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Richard Warner Saunders (born September 19, 2001) is an American basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the BYU Cougars.
Saunders with BYU in 2024 | |
| No. 5 – Memphis Grizzlies | |
|---|---|
| Position | Shooting guard |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | September 19, 2001 Riverton, Utah, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Wasatch Academy (Mount Pleasant, Utah) |
| College | BYU (2022–2026) |
| NBA draft | 2026: 2nd round, 32nd overall pick |
| Drafted by | Memphis Grizzlies |
| Playing career | 2026–present |
| Career history | |
| 2026–present | Memphis Grizzlies |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Early life
Richard Warner Saunders was born on September 19, 2001, in Riverton, Utah, to Lisa and Rich Saunders.[1] He has four older sisters and is a great-grandson of F. Nephi Grigg, a founder of Ore-Ida and inventor of the Tater Tot.[2] Saunders attended Wasatch Academy.[1] Coming out of high school, he was rated as a three-star recruit and was the 3rd ranked prospect from Utah in the class of 2020. He committed to play college basketball for the BYU Cougars over offers from Creighton, Utah State, Oregon State, and Utah.[3]
College career
As a freshman in 2022–23, Saunders appeared in 34 games with two starts, averaging 5.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.[4] In 2023–24, he appeared in 34 games with one start and averaged 9.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.[5][6] Saunders entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal after the season, but ultimately chose to return to play for BYU.[7] Heading into his junior year, he become a full-time starter for the first time in his career.[8] On December 31, 2024, Saunders posted a career-high 30 points in a victory over Arizona State.[9] On January 11, 2025, he tallied 26 points in a loss to TCU.[10] On February 22, Saunders scored 25 points including the pair of game-winning free throws versus Arizona.[11] For his performance during the 2024–25 season, he was named the Big 12 Most Improved Player while also being named first-team all-Big 12.[12] On February 15, 2026, Saunders suffered a season-ending ACL injury, essentially ending his collegiate career after playing 25 games in the 2025–26 season.[13]
Professional career
On June 24, 2026, Saunders was selected with the 32nd overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2026 NBA draft.[14]
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
College
Personal life
Saunders is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[1] He served a mission for the church in Seattle, Washington; he was originally called to serve in Madagascar, but was reassigned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]
On September 1, 2023, Saunders married former basketball player Sierra Johnson, who also competed for the BYU Cougars.[15]