Entering the 2025 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors were devoid of tangible hope. Perhaps they'd be able to find a player who they could plug in when foul trouble or injuries created a void in the rotation, but with a mere second-round draft pick, a championship hopeful was unlikely to find the quality needed to improve the rotation.
Against all odds, the Warriors have turned the No. 56 overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft into a starter within the first third of their rookie season—thus making Will Richard the ultimate steal to whom no other first-year player can compare.
Perhaps the NBA should've seen this coming. Richard is a strong, defensive-minded, and versatile guard who helped the Florida Gators win the 2025 NCAA Championship and seemed to improve across each of his four collegiate seasons.
55 picks passed before Richard was finally selected, however, and the Warriors now have the distinction of winning on draft night.
Richard has appeared in 23 of the Warriors' 25 games, starting 12 and averaging 19.1 minutes per contest. He's instantly thriving as a 3-and-D guard who has even shown flashes of potential as an isolation scorer when his number has been called for such contributions.
While most teams are hoping that their first-round draft picks are capable of starting in the NBA, the Warriors have found that caliber of talent deep in Round 2.
Warriors rookie Will Richard is the epitome of a draft-night steal
Richard is currently averaging 8.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.0 offensive rebound, 1.0 steal, and 1.3 three-point field goals made in 19.1 minutes per game. He's doing so while maintaining a shocking level of efficiency, posting a jaw-dropping slash line of .533/.397/.774.
For perspective on how strong his production is, Richard's numbers translate to 15.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 offensive rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 2.4 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes.
With a minimum of 20 games played, there are currently only two other players in the NBA—rookie or otherwise—matching or exceeding each of Richard's averages in points, steals, and threes per 36 minutes: Mikal Bridges and Reed Sheppard. Considering both play key roles on championship hopefuls, that's both a promising sign and powerful context.
Beyond the numbers, Richard has been a net positive for the Warriors to the point that he's making both the team at large and individual players around him better.
Since Richard began his current stretch of 11 starts in 13 games on Nov. 12, the Warriors have been 8.3 points per 100 possessions better when he's been on the court. That alone offers reason to applaud Golden State's selection, as most first-year players struggle to make a positive impact on winning as quickly as Richard's been able to.
On an individual level, Jimmy Butler has recorded a true shooting percentage of 69.1 with Richard on the court and 64.1 without him—perhaps the most important fact of all.
It's not just that Richard is adaptable, committed on defense, and capable of scoring as many as 30 points in a single game—a feat he managed during his first start. His presence allows veterans such as Butler and Draymond Green to expend less energy along the defensive perimeter and thus prioritize the areas in which they're more consistently relied upon.
It can't be reiterated enough that Richard is already providing the type of value teams typically find in the veterans who have spent years carving out a "glue guy" reputation.
Perhaps other teams have drafted players who will ultimately become bigger stars than Richard. For that matter, he may not ever achieve true stardom. Even now, there are several talented first-year talents ahead of him in Rookie of the Year conversations, including V.J. Edgecombe, Cooper Flagg, and Kon Knueppel.
By selecting a player who can instantly help Stephen Curry compete for a title, however, it's already clear that no team made better use of their resources than the Warriors at No. 56 overall.