One of the most exciting stories early in the season for the Golden State Warriors was the emergence of rookie Will Richard. The University of Florida product was playing really well and seemed to be much more advanced than he even his 23 years of age would suggest, but as the season has gone on it’s become clear that any thoughts of a breakout campaign were nothing more than a mirage.
Richard had some truly impressive performances early on though. He threw down 30 points against the Sacramento Kings in early November and was shooting the ball really well, especially from three-point range. Yet as the season has progressed, his shooting numbers have dwindled and so has his playing time which may very well lead to an axing from the rotation ahead of the postseason.
Warriors did not get a breakout year from Will Richard after hot start
It’s a shame because with so many players injured and the team so short-handed as a whole, Richard really had a chance to shine during that period. It does make one consider the fact that part of the reason he had success early on is because he was getting good looks with stars like Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler on the floor. Â
Those guys obviously draw a ton of attention which allowed Richard to get a lot of wide-open looks. But then as the team got more and more injured, that meant less stars for opponents to account for which equated to more contested shots for Richard that made things more difficult.
Just because he has fallen off in his production, doesn't mean Richard has had a terrible season. Quite the opposite. He has shown that he can definitely be a solid role-player for the team going forward, averaging 6.6 points per game while his 47.4% shooting from the field goal and 34.1% from three are not incredible, but they are solid and something to work with.
Perhaps more important than any stats, Richard has really shown high basketball IQ this season. Whether it’s being in the right spot to grab a rebound, making a nice pass, or just making some sort of heads up play, he's really looked like a mature player out there.
He’s even been mature when head coach Steve Kerr has put him on the bench in favor of veteran players. Richard just seems like a guy who will do whatever is asked of him and has no ego on the floor. That’s what makes him easy to root for as a second-round draft pick who was not highly touted coming into the season.
Richard is not the only player to get off to a hot start and then fade as the season went on. Pat Spencer experienced the same arc as he too was certainly hurt by not being able to play alongside more established stars.
While it would have been awesome if Richard went off and was a candidate for Rookie of the Year, given expectations were pretty low for him, he definitely exceeded them which has to remain as a success for both him and the organization.