Michigan State Scorches Nets in Jase Richardson's Signature Shoes

Spartans shoot lights out in pink and purple NIKE kicks gifted by former teammate

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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The Michigan State Spartans basketball team received a surprise gift from former teammate Jase Richardson, now a rookie with the Orlando Magic, as he sent the entire team a pair of his signature NIKE Sabina 3 shoes in pink and purple. The Spartans wore the matching shoes against UCLA and shot an impressive 53% from the field and 52% from three-point range, making a season-high 14 threes in an 82-59 victory.

Why it matters

This story highlights the continued connection between current college players and their former teammates who have moved on to the NBA. Richardson's gesture of gifting his signature shoes to his old team shows the bonds that can remain even after a player leaves a program. It also raises questions about whether special equipment can provide a competitive edge, though the Spartans downplayed that factor.

The details

Prior to the game against UCLA, the Michigan State players were surprised to find boxes containing Jase Richardson's signature NIKE Sabina 3 shoes in their lockers. The entire team wore the matching pink and purple kicks, and the Spartans proceeded to shoot the lights out, making 53% of their shots overall and 52% from three-point range. Michigan State drained a season-high 14 three-pointers in the 82-59 win over the Bruins.

  • On Tuesday, the Michigan State basketball team received the NIKE shoes from former teammate Jase Richardson prior to their home game against UCLA.

The players

Jase Richardson

A rookie with the Orlando Magic who previously played one season at Michigan State, where he helped the Spartans win the 2025 Big Ten regular season championship and reach the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. Richardson signed a multi-year shoe deal with NIKE last July after a strong performance in NBA Summer League games.

Jeremy Fears

The Michigan State point guard who expressed gratitude for the special shoes gifted by his former teammate Jase Richardson.

Carson Cooper

The senior center for Michigan State who noted the team's coach typically prefers them to wear only green, white, or black shoes, but made an exception for the pink and purple Sabina 3's.

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What they’re saying

“Shout out to Jase. I like the color combination and how it goes. I am grateful that he was able to send us something and we were able to get something special, just being able to put these on with the guys, and to play. I know that he probably watched it. I appreciate him.”

— Jeremy Fears, Michigan State point guard (on3.com)

“It was a little bit of a surprise. We walked in and seen it, and the box says, NIKE by Jase. Just grateful and shout out to Jase for giving us some kicks.”

— Jeremy Fears, Michigan State point guard (on3.com)

“He caught us off guard. We text every day, and he didn't even give me a head's up or tease us at all.”

— Carson Cooper, Michigan State senior center (on3.com)

What’s next

The Michigan State Spartans will travel to Columbus this weekend to take on Ohio State, but it's unclear if they will wear Jase Richardson's signature NIKE shoes again.

The takeaway

This story showcases the lasting bonds between college basketball players, even after they move on to the professional ranks. Jase Richardson's gesture of gifting his former Michigan State teammates his signature shoes demonstrates the continued camaraderie and support among the Spartans program, which helped fuel an impressive shooting performance against UCLA.