Steve Kerr was once again full of praise for Will Richard, who impressed in the Warriors’ season opener.
The Golden State Warriors started the NBA season 1-0 with an impressive opening-round victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Jonathan Kuminga proved himself for the Warriors, scoring 17 points in a start that few expected before the game.
Stephen Curry had a sensational performance, scoring 23 points, and Jimmy Butler led his team to victory with 31 points.
But it was Will Richard who walked away with the game ball. And after the game, Steve Kerr opined about how good he was.
Steve Kerr spoke after the Golden State Warriors’ win over the Los Angeles Lakers about how impressed he has been with Will Richard since the start of the season.
Richard caught Kerr’s attention during the Warriors’ preseason games, and in his NBA debut, he looked comfortable on the court like a veteran player.
“I think it was after the first couple of exhibition games. The first week of camp, we were just setting up equipment. We didn’t have very good results.”
“But then you see him always being in the right place at the right time and making the right cuts…That was his first NBA hoop. Then we gave him the game ball.
“Normally, whenever someone takes the lead, I always try to get the ball from the referee right away. Tonight I completely forgot.
“The reason I forgot is because Will looks like he’s in his seventh year. He doesn’t look like a rookie. It was a great night for Will.”
Even before the Warriors’ preseason games began, Steve Kerr praised Will Richard, recognizing how hard the player has worked in training.
And as he got more and more time in the game, Richard proved to Kerr that he was a winner and gained Kerr’s trust over the course of several weeks.
But Richard’s mentality of not being afraid of the big moments is critical to his success. This will make him part of the Warriors’ rotation going forward.
It will be interesting to see how much Steve Kerr relies on Will Richard to perform in key moments as the season progresses.