The Golden State Warriors may have found their latest gem in rookie Will Richard, and he could have a chance to join a long line of Rookie of the Year winners to play in The Bay. In fact, no franchise has had more players take home that award in NBA history, and Richard could help them extend that historic streak.
Richard was the No. 56 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. One of the final selections of the night. Yet he’s playing real minutes for a Warriors team that is looking to compete for a championship this year, which is a very impressive accomplishment.
But can he actually win the award?
How is Will Richard playing?
Richard spent four years in college, his first being at Belmont and his last three with the Florida Gators, all culminating in a National Championship last season. Now, ever since joining the Warriors, he’s been very impactful.
So far this season, Richard has appeared in nine of the Warriors’ 11 games, playing 17.2 minutes (including one start on the year). He has averaged 10.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 59.6% from the floor and 40.7% from deep on 3.0 three-point attempts per contest.
His season has been highlighted by a 30-point game against the Sacramento Kings, in which the Warriors nearly managed to bring home a win despite being without Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green.
At just 22 years old, the 6-foot-5 guard has been very impressive in the early goings of his career, and though it’s only been a few games, he already looks like he could be a valuable part of Golden State’s future core.
He’s a quality two-way player who can score in bunches when he needs to but is also capable of playing alongside their current group of stars.
Heading into the season, Cooper Flagg was seen as the runaway favorite to win Rookie of the Year. Then, after some hot starts, Dylan Harper and VJ Edgecombe made their presences known in the race.
But now, after some cold stretches, it’s truly anybody’s award to win.
It seems relatively unlikely that Richard will get the chance to put up the statistical output to get a victory over a bunch of the other rookies in his class with larger roles, but anything is possible.
Perhaps Richards has an outside chance to be the latest in a long line of Warriors Rookie of the Year winners.