BROOKLYN — Richie Saunders didn’t have to wait long to hear his name called Wednesday night.
Just two picks into the second round, the Memphis Grizzlies have chosen Saunders No. 32 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft.
According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, there was “a ton of trade interest” league-wide for the No. 32 pick, but the Grizzlies elected to stand pat and take Saunders.
Saunders will join his former BYU teammate AJ Dybantsa in the NBA, with the latter being selected Tuesday with the draft’s No. 1 pick by the Washington Wizards.
In 25 contests as a senior for the Cougars this past season before suffering a torn ACL, Saunders averaged 18.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting just shy of 38% from 3-point range.
During his junior campaign, the Riverton native scored 16.5 points per game, made 43% of his 3-pointers, earned first team All-Big 12 honors and led BYU to its first Sweet 16 since 2011.
Saunders appeared in 128 games as a Cougar between 2022-26 — starting 63 — and ranks among the most beloved BYU players in recent program history.
“I mean, it’s been a dream come true,” Saunders said this past March of his BYU career. “Looking back, I know for a very long time I’ll remember winning here, just the joy that brought me to be able to put on this uniform.”
The rebuilding Grizzlies finished 25-57 this past season, but the selection of Cameron Boozer at No. 3 overall on Tuesday gives the franchise a new cornerstone to build around.
While Memphis does still have All-Star point guard Ja Morant on its roster, trade rumors continue to swirl, which would allow the Grizzlies to stock up on more assets.
Since relocating to Memphis in 2001, the most successful era of Grizzlies basketball was the famed “grit and grind” teams of the 2010s who made a living off of hard-nosed defense and relentless effort.
If there’s one player in this draft class who best exemplifies such a skillset, it’s Saunders, who broke into BYU’s rotation as a freshman due to his scrappiness and maniacal motor.
Even when he developed into an elite deep shooter and legitimate top scoring option, Saunders still maintained his “hair on fire” hustle that put him on the floor in the first place.
Given that it’s only been four months since tearing his ACL, Saunders isn’t expected to be available for the start of the 2026-27 NBA season, as Memphis will likely “stash” him until he’s healthy enough to return to the court and contribute.
