Warriors’ NCAA champion rookie thrives next to Stephen Curry in NBA debut, win vs. Lakers

The Golden State Warriors rode a dominant third quarter performance to an eventual victory over Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night to begin their 2025-26 season with a 1-0 start.

Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry and high-flying 23-year-old forward Jonathan Kuminga dominated throughout the evening, but the Warriors also relied upon their experienced second-round pick for an extended period in his NBA debut against a formidable opponent.

The Warriors' No. 56 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Will Richard, showcased his two-way ability and veteran-like poise with several key plays against the Lakers. Following the contest, Golden State's legendary head coach Steve Kerr echoed a similar sentiment to ESPN's Anthony Slater, heaping praise upon the fourth-to-last selection of the draft.

"Will (Richard) looks like he's in his seventh year," Kerr shared with Slater late Tuesday night.

"He doesn't look like a rookie out there."

Richard's 14 minutes of play were impressive, despite finishing with a -11 in the plus-minus department.

The 22-year-old University of Florida product contributed to the Warriors' double-digit win with five points, one rebound, one assist and one steal while knocking down both of his attempts from the field, including a late-game three-point hit off of a pass from Curry. 

Kerr's fondness of the 6-foot-5 guard's skillset was clear to see, and an impressive second-quarter sequence that saw Richard rotate from the weak side to slap the ball out of Deandre Ayton's hands for a steal, handle it smoothly on the break and throw a pinpoint lob pass to Gary Payton II for an easy finish did plenty to earn the 4-time NBA champion coach's trust.

It has always been hard for rookies to carve out a rotational spot for a contending Warriors roster on day one, especially as a late second-round pick. However, Richard is poised to receive consistent burn after a solid debut outing.

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