Golden State rookie Will Richard is still riding high after his first encounter with Warriors legend Stephen Curry, calling it one of the most unforgettable moments of his life.
“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 told 95.7 The Game. “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.”
The 22-year-old was selected 56th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft by Memphis before being traded to Golden State on draft night.
He arrives after helping Florida win a national championship, averaging 13.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.7 steals across 40 games last season.
The rookie also opened up on how the interaction inspired him heading into his first season.
“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.”
Beyond Curry, Richard said his introduction to veterans like Draymond Green and Buddy Hield was equally as positive.
“Both real cool people. You can tell they are about the right things,” Richard said. “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.”
In three Summer League games so far, Richard is averaging 11.3 points, four rebounds, 1.3 assists and 2.7 steals while shooting 54.2 percent from the field.
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