TATER TOT CREATOR’S GREAT-GRANDSON WENT NO. 32 TO MEMPHIS
Richie Saunders, great-grandson of the Tater Tot creator, went No. 32 to the Grizzlies and still hasn’t signed.
Memphis selected the BYU guard in the second round of the NBA draft on June 24, 2026. He was the second Cougar to hear his name, behind teammate AJ Dybantsa, who went first overall to the Washington Wizards, BYU Athletics reported.
BYU lists Saunders as the great-grandson of Ore-Ida founder and Tater Tot creator Nephi Grigg, according to the school’s roster page.
“Richie is a player we think is a strong identity fit with this group on and off the court,” Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said, Deseret News reported.
The pick, the injury and the Ore-Richie deal
Kleiman had said after the first round that Memphis would consider trade offers for the No. 32 pick, Yahoo Sports reported. The team held on to it and took Saunders.
He joined a Grizzlies draft class that also included Cameron Boozer and Karim Lopez.
Saunders played all four years at BYU. Before his injury he averaged 18.8 points as a senior, BYU said.
That injury was a torn ACL in February 2026. The Commercial Appeal wrote that it likely affected his draft position and that he would probably miss the start of the NBA season.
Memphis has a track record with second-rounders. The Commercial Appeal noted the Grizzlies had recently developed GG Jackson, Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer into rotation-caliber players.
Then there is the potato angle. Saunders signed an NIL deal with Ore-Ida while at BYU. During the Cougars’ 2025 NCAA Tournament run, the company briefly changed its name to Ore-Richie as part of the marketing deal.
The Commercial Appeal also joked that Tater Tots might start showing up around FedExForum. That was the outlet’s own quip, not a reaction from the team or fans.
What happened next
In September 2026, Kleiman said Saunders was progressing in his ACL recovery and that the team was excited for him to join when the time came.
“He is attacking his ACL recovery and continues to progress well,” Kleiman said. “We’ll be smart with his case, and we’re excited to have him join us once we get to that point in time.”
Deseret News reported that all signs pointed to Saunders eventually signing with Memphis. It also reported that the Grizzlies could use a two-way contract, which would let them keep him without using a standard roster spot.
On October 14, 2026, Kleiman described Saunders’ status as “wait and see” while Memphis worked through a roster crunch ahead of the regular season, CBS Sports reported. Saunders remained unsigned.
