Will Richard received high praise from Jimmy Butler, Al Horford

ByNBAUSA


SAN FRANCISCO– The The Golden State Warriors had it tough gathering energy and effort at a consistent level throughout the early part of this season. That’s what Draymond Green showed when the defense failed to stop the Denver Nuggets, which is what Steve Kerr stressed he needs more of, especially in winnable games. But if there’s one guy who didn’t have a problem with it, he did second round rookie Will Richard.

In the Warriors’ 114-83 win over the Indiana Pacers, a game that looked more complicated than the 31-point margin indicated, Richard came off the bench to give the Dubs 15 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field, 7-of-8 from the free throw line and a +19 plus/minus in 19 minutes. Golden State couldn’t break away from the undermanned and exhausted Pacers who came back-to-back. But Richard’s stretch early in the fourth quarter gave Golden State a good combination of defense, IQ and hustle, helping the team to a 21-11 run.

after the game veteran center Al Horfordwho was also a big part of the run against the spirited Pacers, talked about the energy Richard brings when he gets into the game.

“It’s amazing because he’ll go from not playing or not stretching. And then when he comes in, he’s ready,” Horford said. “He cuts, he hits threes, he goes on the break, he defends; he does a little bit of everything. I’m very impressed with his maturity and how he’s been able to handle all the tasks we put on him because it’s very unpredictable.”

Over the last three games, the Florida guard is averaging 19.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists on 40.0% shooting from distance. In his postgame presser, Richard talked about the pride he takes in making an impact whenever he checks in.

“Just making an impact, whether it’s on the offensive end or the defensive end. Spreading the floor and doing things like that,” Richard said. “I grew up watching the Warriors, so for me, Steph and Drai and all of them, they made my childhood. So I feel like every time I’m on the court, I have to give it back by going out there and playing as hard as I can.”

How Will Richard climbed into Steve Kerr’s rotation

It’s hard for a second-round rookie to thrive in a contending team’s rotation. Especially in a system as complex and convoluted as Steve Kerr’s. But Richard was more than up to the task, he understood his role and seemed seamless and intuitive alongside Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler.

“At the beginning of camp, you could see he really knows how to play. He makes the right cut all the time, the right pass, he’s tough,” Kerr explained. “His fundamentals are fantastic; you can see all the experience he’s had in the big games. Will, he’s a ball player, and we’re excited to have him. He’s going to contribute a lot this year.”

A big part of why Richard has taken over the Warriors’ system so quickly is his experience at Florida. Richard spent four years in college, his first year at Belmont and the rest helping the Gators compete in March. Richard played much of Florida’s national championship just a few months before joining the Warriors. It’s the big games, the high-impact situations that Kerr points to whenever he’s asked why Richard came so quickly.

But for Butler, he cited the 22-year-old’s curiosity and IQ as why he managed to influence for warriors.

“He’s really smart,” Butler said.

“But what I like most about Will is his ability to listen. You tell him what to do to the best of his ability, he’ll do it. Whether it’s on offense or defense. It’s really hard to try to please everybody. Because you could be told five things by five different people. And he’s the type of human being that will tell him that every one of them will try to do everything. Others, but he’s a hell of a listener, and whatever you tell him, he understands that he’s going to do it, and he looks amazing.

Richard’s role in the Warriors’ progress

Golden State Warriors guard Will Richard (3) drives around Indiana Pacers forward Cody Martin (11) during the third quarter at Chase Center.
D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

As Kerr said, Richard climbed into the Warriors’ rotation moving forward. But how many minutes he will have in a night will depend on the match. While he’s already skipped over Gary Payton II and Guy Santos to some degree, the Warriors are a team that changes its rotation depending on the matchup. Kerr has gone on the record about how Payton plays better when Curry is on the floor, so things could change with the two-time MVP’s return.

And things will definitely get interesting once De’Anthony Melton fully recovers from ACL surgery. Will Kerr rely on the experience of veteran Melton, or will he continue to ride the hot hand with the up-and-coming Richard? As impressive as Richard looks, he’s still a rookie. He will have a few moments here and there where his youth shows. In important games, Kerr is much more likely to trust a guy like Melton, who has been in playoff games.

Regardless, it’s clear that Richard is an NBA-caliber player. That’s already way beyond what they expected from him as a second rounder.

“I’m just impressed with how quickly he picks everything up. How used he is to playing in the NBA,” Horford continued. “Because it’s not an easy transition. And being part of a team that’s a veteran team, he comes in and finds his way. It’s not that easy, you know? If you’re on a bad team and you do those things, it’s kind of expected. To be on a competitive team like we are and do what he does, it’s impressive.”

While Horford and Butler have thrived, Richard’s IQ and curiosity will take him far in this up-and-coming league.





2025-11-10 13:16:00

Similar Posts