Throughout the first three months of the season, the Golden State Warriors looked like they had gotten a steal in the 2025 NBA Draft, selecting a four-year college player, Will Richard, with the No. 56 overall pick. Right from the jump, Richard's basketball intelligence showed, moving without the ball well and making the right play. So much so that he impressed one of his teammates, 15-year veteran Jimmy Butler III.

Unfortunately for Richard, he couldn't sustain his hot start, as a cool month of January (37% from the field and 28.6% from 3-point range) seemed to affect his confidence level. On the year, Richard finished with averages of 6.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 steals in 20 minutes per game. Luckily for Richard, he seems to have the trust of head coach Steve Kerr, making 69 appearances, 21 of which were starts. Although the second half of Richard's season certainly could have gone better, not only was his play impressive for a late second-rounder, it also proved him worthy of a future spot in the rotation if he continues to make the right improvements. The former Florida Gator has three years remaining on his rookie deal.

This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Warriors 2025-26 player grades: Will Richard