Warriors Rookie Will Richard Scores 16 in California Classic Debut

Golden State’s second-round pick Will Richard made an encouraging first appearance for the Warriors in Sunday’s California Classic, scoring 16 points in a 90-88 loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Chase Center. The 6-foot-5 guard opened his NBA Summer League debut with a transition lay-up and later sank a catch-and-shoot three-pointer with 20 seconds left to trim the deficit to one. Richard finished 3-for-10 from the field but hit all eight free throws and added a late clutch triple that kept the game within reach.

The outing came hours after the Warriors finalised their draft-day trade that moved them up three spots, from No. 59 to No. 56, to select the former Florida standout. Fellow draftees Alex Toohey and Jahmai Mashak, whose selections were also confirmed Sunday, are expected to join Richard when the team concludes the California Classic on Tuesday. Despite the narrow defeat, the Warriors staff praised Richard’s ability to generate offence and draw contact, viewing the performance as a promising start to the club’s revamped rookie class.