Will Richard immediately validates Warriors’ NBA draft vision – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

SAN FRANCISCO – Within seconds, not even minutes, rookie guard Will Richard showed why the Warriors coveted him in the 2025 NBA Draft during his team debut Sunday. 

In the first possession of Warriors’ last-second 90-88 California Classic summer league loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Chase Center, Richard swiped down and stripped the ball away from David Jones-Garcia like he was Andre Iguodala and took it the other way himself for an easy layup. That’s the kind of two-way impact the Warriors saw out of Richard at Florida, and why they moved up three spots from No. 59 to No. 56 to select the former Gator.

“I have a lot of length on defense and I can do a good job of knowing where the ball is going to be,” Richard said. “Just being aggressive. As soon as I saw him bring it down I knew I could have a chance to steal the ball.” 

Last summer’s signing of De’Anthony Melton looked like another smaller guard added to the Warriors’ roster. That’s only if you stare at his listed height. 

Melton is 6-foot-2, but his wingspan exceeds 6-foot-8. Richard comes in even taller at 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan he knows how to use to his advantage. He led Florida with 1.7 steals per game as a senior last season, and more than half of his 40 games resulted in multiple steals. 

Richard had 22 games of two or more steals, including six games of three steals, one with four and another where he swiped five. He was without a steal in only seven games last season. His first time wearing a Warriors jersey ended with two steals, making a major impact defensively in a handful of ways. 

Coach Lainn Wilson was equally impressed with how Richard guarded his man, as well as understanding concepts of team defense. 

“Honestly, both,” Wilson said. “His activity on the ball – he was doing what we asked off the ball as well. There wasn’t many times where he was caught out of position. Obviously he’s a pretty aggressive player, so that’d be the only time he gets burned. 

“But we can honestly work with guys that are pretty aggressive.” 

Jones-Garcia led both teams with 25 points, though Richard hounded him throughout the Warriors’ loss. His second steal was jumping a passing lane and tipping an attempt from Jones-Garcia. Richard’s best defensive sequence also came on Jones-Garcia in a play where he wasn’t given a steal in the box score. 

While Jones-Garcia kept trying to dribble past Richard, he had nowhere to go. Stuck in the mud with an unsuccessful last-ditch effort going behind his back. Jackson Rowe pounced on the loose ball, and Richard wound up dropping a highlight of dime in mid-air to tie the game in the fourth quarter.

Sunday was full of firsts for Richard. Complications from the Warriors’ trade to acquire his draft rights delayed his California Classic debut, and withheld him from any practices. The two-point loss was the first time Richard even played 5-on-5 since the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship Game three months ago.

Still, Richard ended as a plus-13 in 25 minutes. He scored 16 points on 3-of-10 shooting, going 2 of 8 on threes but made all eight of his free throw attempts. Richard also had four rebounds, one assist and two steals.

“Pretty impressive debut,” Wilson said. “… His effort out there was just a really good start for him.”

With just 32 seconds remaining in regulation, Richard drained a three to make it a one-point game. Wilson then drew up a play for Richard with the game on the line in the final seconds, going for the win and putting his ultimate faith in him. 

Off his hands, the shot was right on target. As it hit the front of the rim, teammates jumped in anticipation on the sidelines. No summer league storybook ending this time. 

The ball hit the back of the rim and trickled out at the buzzer. Wilson thought it was going to fall, as did Richard. The heartbreak won’t deter him from taking the shot again, and it certainly won’t place a dark cloud over what was a positive first impression. 

“Definitely wish it would have went in, but it’s not always gonna be the case,” Richard said. “I feel good about it.” 

Why the Warriors wanted Richard in the draft was evident, which is much more important than the final score of a summer league game.

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