The Golden State Warriors added Will Richard after being taken with the 56th pick of the 2025 NBA Draft. While playing in the Summer League, the rookie recalled his first meeting with his new teammate and four-time champion Stephen Curry.
Speaking with 95.7 The Game, Richard said that meeting Curry was a ‘top three moment’ of his life, while also discussing what he league’s all-time three-point leader said to him ahead of next season.
“For me, I mean, [Curry] was my favorite player growing up, him and Klay [Thompson], so that was definitely a top three moment in my life, and just how it happened,” Richard said on his first meeting with Curry. “When I was coming down the steps, he came up to me, shook my hand, and was like, ‘Welcome to the Bay. We’re happy to have you, and I’m excited to work with you.’ So for me, that meant a lot.”
After winning a national championship with the Florida Gators, the Memphis Grizzlies originally selected Richard, but a draft-day trade sent him to Golden State. He averaged 13.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.7 steals in 40 games last season en route to the school’s third title.
Richard Gave Context To His Claim
While recalling his first meeting with Curry, Richard stated that as a Warriors fan growing up, meeting one of his favorite players and newest teammates gave him extra motivation.
“It was definitely some motivation,” Richard added. “Because you’re hearing that from a guy that you grew up watching, grew up loving, grew up wanting to be like, so it was definitely some motivation.”
Richard also gave more context to his bold claim that meeting Curry was a ‘top three’ moment of his life.
“I would probably say winning the natty [national championship with Florida], and let’s go with being born,” Richard said about the other top moments of his life. “It’s been a good few months, for sure.”
Besides meeting Curry, the Warriors rookie described meeting some of his other new teammates, including Draymond Green and Buddy Hield.
“Both real cool people. You can tell they are about the right things,” Richard said, referring to his first interactions with Green and Hield. “Just very welcoming. I feel like everybody from the Warriors, from the top to bottom, they’ve all been very welcoming, so it’s been cool to meet everybody.”
The Rookie Joins A Warriors Team In Flux
Though Richard didn’t play in the Summer League game he was at when meeting Curry due to the draft-day trade was still incomplete, he has had a strong start to his career with the Warriors. In his three Summer League games the 22-year-old is averaging 11.3 points, four rebounds, 1.3 assists, 2.7 steals per night on 54.2% shooting from the floor.
He was lauded as one of the top ‘3 and D’ players in the draft, and as he mentioned, Richard modeled his game after shooters like Curry and Thompson. While he expects to come to Golden State in a smaller role, his entrance to the team comes as they have yet to make any big offseason moves.
The Warriors have yet to make a decision on restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, who reportedly is seeking a bigger role on a different team. However, while the 22-year-old is rumored to potentially be on the move to a team like the Miami Heat or Chicago Bulls, Golden State remains quiet on its plans for the up-and-coming scorer.
The Warriors expect it to be difficult to resign Kuminga to the bigger deal he is hoping for, as well as guarantee he will play a major factor on an offense that already features Curry and Jimmy Butler as their proven stars.
Golden State remains the favorites to land former NBA champion with the Boston Celtics and unrestricted free agent Al Horford. While insiders have commented on the move and hinted that he expects to sign with the Warriors, nothing has been made public, and the team still awaits adding the 39-year-old center.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Warriors Rookie Makes Bold Claim After Meeting Steph Curry appeared first on Heavy Sports.