- 7 months ago
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00:00I'm really excited to have Will Richard on the show on the River Islands guest line,
00:04live from Milwaukee, where the team gets ready for a game tomorrow night
00:07against Giannis and the boys.
00:09Will Richard, rookie for the Golden State Warriors on Willard and Dibs, 95-7 the game.
00:14Hey, Will, how are you doing?
00:16I'm doing good, man. Can't complain at all. How about you?
00:18Beautiful, man, and we're so excited to have you.
00:20We were just sitting here talking about, to me, it's almost mind-blowing
00:24for anybody to walk into any company that has been so wildly successful
00:29and has iconic co-workers next to you
00:32and be able to walk into that with confidence and then execute right away.
00:38How were you able to do that?
00:40Yeah, for me, I mean, I grew up watching the Warriors,
00:43so I kind of knew what to expect just knowing the system just from watching them.
00:46But coming in, I knew I had to ask a lot of questions.
00:49I mean, it's a veteran-led team, so I felt like it was my job to be able to catch up
00:53and get on the same page with those guys because, I mean, they already know what's going on.
00:56So for me, I came in asking a lot of questions, trying to make sure I was on the same page.
01:00So when the opportunity came, I was ready.
01:02How much did your last year of college especially give you that confidence?
01:05I mean, 40 games in Florida. Mark and I have talked about it.
01:08And, you know, you and I spoke at Summer League,
01:10and you've never really had anything other than great confidence.
01:14Does that come from your college career and being able to go through everything you went through?
01:19For sure, yeah.
01:20Just the college career, being able to go through many different challenges and stuff in college,
01:23and just my preparation, I feel like I was prepared.
01:27Being, doing four years in college, I feel like you were able to see a lot and experience a lot.
01:31So I feel like that definitely helped me in terms of the way I prepared for stuff like that
01:34and my confidence in the game.
01:36Well, well before you became a Warrior, there was a phrase around here called strength in numbers,
01:40and it kind of referred to the Warriors' depth.
01:43And I'm feeling something like that is back this year with all of you guys.
01:47And DeAnthony Melton is coming, and Seth Curry is coming.
01:50And so it creates one of those good problems to have.
01:54But there's a lot of guys in only so many minutes.
01:57How are you guys sort of feeling about how that's all going to work out for everybody?
02:02Oh, yeah, for sure.
02:03I mean, we're all excited.
02:04I mean, I feel like everybody's on the same page in terms of what our goals are for the season.
02:08We're just trying to win.
02:09So for me personally, I don't care how it's done, how many minutes I get on the court.
02:13I'm going to try to help the team win in any way possible, whether that's practice,
02:16just my mentality around the locker room and stuff like that.
02:19We just want to win and do it at a high level.
02:20So we're all excited for that.
02:22And you're out there doing it, and the rotation will change from night to night.
02:26But you're out there with Steph and Jimmy and Draymond.
02:29Have you had that moment yet where you kind of take a step back
02:33and realize that you are playing with some guys in their late 30s
02:36and throwing Al Horford as well, guys that you grew up watching?
02:40Yeah, yeah.
02:41Really, to be honest, every day I take a step back and just look at it.
02:44I mean, I grew up watching these guys, and to be able to witness their greatness
02:48and stuff like that every game, every practice is definitely a blessing for me to be a part of.
02:51So I take a step back every day and realize how thankful I am
02:55and how blessed I am to be in this situation.
02:57Will Richard with us on Willard and Dibs.
02:59Will, maybe that's the pinch me moment.
03:02I want to know if you've had the welcome to the NBA moment yet.
03:05Like, has anybody crossed you up or done anything where you're like,
03:09oh, oh, this is a little bit different?
03:12Yeah, I was actually just talking to one of my trainers about that.
03:15In the Denver game, Aaron Gordon, he drove, I think he drove baseline,
03:20and he bumped me, and I kind of moved back a few steps.
03:23I was like, oh, yeah, I need to be in the weight room a good amount this summer
03:26because I can't get a bump like that no more.
03:28I actually, I remember that plan.
03:30We remember that plan.
03:31Oh, my God.
03:32Will, just so you know, those of us watching on TV were like,
03:35yeah, that's not fair.
03:36There's nothing Will could do there.
03:39I said I'll definitely be in the weight room a good amount this summer
03:42because that can't be happening.
03:43Yeah, and the tattoo parlor, apparently.
03:45100 pounds and about 12 tattoos to be able to get that.
03:49But I know it's too early to really look at your game
03:52and figure out where you need to make those gains,
03:55but as you're now playing against grown men,
03:58and Aaron Gordon has certainly become one of them,
04:00as you look early in your career,
04:02what are the things that you're going to try to work on between now
04:05and the end of the year to try to accelerate your growth?
04:09Yeah, I'd probably say I'm always being in the right spots on offense
04:12and defense, making the right rotations, knowing when to cut,
04:15making sure I'm running the floor hard in transition,
04:18just being able to do little things, impacting the game,
04:21whether that's just friending the floor, rebounding,
04:23whatever it takes for me to come in and just help the team win.
04:26I feel like those areas that I can come in and hone on in early,
04:29that'll help us.
04:29Hey, Will, I wanted to ask you this.
04:31I know you guys just had a long plane flight.
04:34Any chance that you guys have seen the video that's circulating on the internet
04:39of Giannis last night with his drive to the hoop against the Knicks?
04:44Have you seen this?
04:45No, sir, I haven't.
04:46Okay.
04:46I want you to see if you can search it on social media and check it out
04:50because I want you and all your teammates to know that Giannis is allowed to have
04:55five steps before he dribbles on his way to the hoop.
05:00Are you guys ready for that tomorrow night?
05:01Oh, man.
05:02Yeah, we're prepared for it all, so we're definitely prepared.
05:05Yeah, it's one of those things where like...
05:08It's ridiculous.
05:10Kind of, and, you know, whatever.
05:12We all see a lot of different sports and there's blown calls and whatnot,
05:14but I wonder if there is any player that you look at in the association
05:19that you haven't yet played who you're looking forward to going up against.
05:23Not that you're trying to, you know, get somebody,
05:26but maybe somebody you looked up to as a younger player or as a kid
05:29and somebody who you can't wait to compete against.
05:32I really feel like, I mean, all those elite guards,
05:34I feel like I'm excited to go against them.
05:37Like, I know I was able to guard Harden a little bit.
05:38I was able to guard Joss.
05:40So just those elite guards that have proven themselves in the league,
05:43I feel like me going up against them and being able to guard them
05:45is definitely something I'm looking forward to
05:47and something that will be a good test for myself.
05:49So I'll probably say just any of those elite guards that I can match up against,
05:52I'll be excited for.
05:53Well, I'm not going to pretend like you remember this.
05:56This show, I wasn't there, but this show with my partner here, Dibs,
06:01and one of our staff guys, Mark Grandy,
06:04was out in Vegas and talked to you a few months ago
06:08and you were on the show and I think somehow it came up like,
06:12what are your top three life moments?
06:15And your answer was being born,
06:18winning the national championship,
06:21and meeting Steph Curry.
06:23And now you've done a lot more than meet Steph Curry.
06:26You've played with Steph Curry.
06:27I'd like to ask if you want to update the list, Will.
06:30Yeah, I'll probably say playing with Steph is three now.
06:34Okay.
06:34And sort of what surprised you about that?
06:38Like what have you noticed about playing with Steph?
06:41I mean, just his gravity on the court.
06:44I feel like Steph made the game a lot easier for everybody else around him
06:47because he draws so much attention.
06:48So if you're in the right spot, you're cutting the move,
06:50went out the ball, you're going to find yourself open for a layup.
06:53You're going to find yourself in positions to either score
06:56or get somebody else a wide-open shot.
06:59So just his gravity on the court and how intentional he is
07:01with all his movements, how he cuts and all that.
07:04I've just been blessed to be able to watch him play in all areas of the game.
07:08Yeah, I'd like to think that you meeting my partner, Mark Graney,
07:11and I would be tied for fourth on your list,
07:13but I don't want to press you there for life moments.
07:16We'll put that up there too.
07:18Yeah, I appreciate it.
07:19That's why I love Will Richard.
07:20What about Steph as just maybe not so much the man,
07:23but just watching him go through what he does to be so great?
07:28Is that something that you're looking at early on
07:30to kind of inspire the way you want to go about being a pro?
07:33Oh, yeah, for sure.
07:34I mean, after practice, I always sit down,
07:37and he does his own court workout, and I just watch him work out,
07:40see how hard he's moving and stuff like that in his workouts,
07:43and just how he carries himself off the court.
07:45I feel like he's a great example of what a professional is,
07:48so it's been great being able to watch him
07:49and learn, ask him questions and stuff like that.
07:52Will, I bet everybody asks you all about being a teammate with Steph.
07:55Let's get to the real, man.
07:56What the hell is it like being a teammate with Draymond?
08:00Man, Draymond, that's probably one of my most favorite people ever.
08:03I mean, he's one of the most genuine, smart guys that I could ever be around.
08:08He's been very helpful as well.
08:09I mean, I've been asking him a lot of questions in terms of how he reads stuff on defense,
08:14like just stuff about how he handles back-to-back games and all that,
08:18and he's been very helpful.
08:20So it's been great to be around Draymond as well
08:22because he's one of those players that I grew up loving and watching as well.
08:25How do you fit into a new locker room?
08:27Because you were at Florida for a few years.
08:29You guys had a great core.
08:30You won the Natty, and now you're suddenly the new guy and the young pup.
08:34Is it hard to try to, I don't know, fit in and still be yourself,
08:38but also be mindful of the fact that you're with a lot of veterans?
08:41I wouldn't say it's hard.
08:44I mean, I feel like the veterans have done a great job of kind of embracing me
08:47and making everybody feel at home.
08:49So it's been great.
08:50I feel like there's – it hasn't been a moment where I feel like I was outside of the box
08:54or anything like that.
08:55I mean, everybody's been welcoming from the top of the organization to the bottom.
08:58So it's been great.
08:59Will Richard with us on 95.7 The Game.
09:02Will, let's wrap Jimmy Butler into this conversation too.
09:05Like, how would you compare the leadership styles of those big three names?
09:10Yeah, I mean, I feel like Draymond's more vocal for sure in the way he goes about things.
09:18You don't say.
09:19Yeah, yeah.
09:20Draymond, Draymond's definitely more vocal.
09:23Steph, he's vocal when he needs to be.
09:26He's more so like when something needs to be said, that's when he goes about it.
09:31And Jimmy, he's business from the jump.
09:33I mean, Jimmy is more of a lead by example.
09:36So I feel like just watching him and how he goes about everything, you know once he's
09:40on the court, it's business.
09:42So I feel like it's different styles from all of them, but each one of them help the team
09:46and bring great peace of mind to everybody around the team.
09:49Life is a pro, rookie year, and I know you played 40 games last year, but you're looking
09:53at 82 now.
09:55What advice have they given you about, you know, being able to pace yourself for the long
09:59haul?
10:00For sure.
10:00I mean, they've been telling me some different tricks, like Draymond was telling me about
10:05lifting after back-to-backs and stuff like that, making sure you sleep, trying to have
10:10consistent eating habits on the road and stuff like that, even though it's hard, making
10:15sure you're stretching and stuff like that.
10:16So I've been getting a few tricks from each of them.
10:19I'm trying to ask every one of them a different question and try to pick up different stuff
10:23that each of them use to compete at a high level every game.
10:26Will, this is your third NBA road trip.
10:29How does an NBA traveling party differ from a college traveling party?
10:35I'll probably say, it's kind of similar, to be honest, but definitely a little different.
10:42You've got guys playing games on the plan and stuff like that.
10:45I take my naps, so it's a little different, but it's been fun.
10:50You've got to build up a little more contract until you can get into those games, huh, Will?
10:54Yeah, then I can get in there.
10:56Right, yeah.
10:58What city are you really looking forward to seeing?
11:02Man, to be honest, I'm not really sure.
11:07I'm looking forward to every game, to be honest.
11:09I know I'm ready to play Utah, play my old teammate, Walt, and some of those guys.
11:14So I feel like any city we play in is going to be fun.
11:18Great answer.
11:19Just a random one, Will, before we let you go.
11:22Everyone's talking about Wemby at 7'5".
11:24You had a guy on your team last year, a redshirt, Olivier Ryu, who is now 7'9".
11:29He's 7'9", Will.
11:31Does he have the kind of skill and the ability to someday make it in the association?
11:37Big O is getting a lot better.
11:39I definitely saw his progression in terms of his hands and stuff like that, how he's moving.
11:43So I definitely think he has the potential to be able to make something happen one day.
11:48But definitely crazy playing with a 7'9".
11:51I was shocked every time I saw him.
11:53Dude, 7'9".
11:54Like, I mean, you post him up, you're giving up probably about 18 inches, if I'm not wrong.
11:59Yeah, yeah.
11:59There's no reason for me to even go down there with him.
12:01Oh, my goodness.
12:02I'm the Big O.
12:03All right, Will, we're all still trying to get to know you a little bit.
12:06Is there a nickname for Will Richard?
12:10Right now on the team, I'm Baby Gator.
12:13They call Al Big Gator.
12:15So I'm Baby Gator right now.
12:16I love it.
12:17That's so good.
12:18Al is Big Gator and you're Baby Gator.
12:21Yep, I'm Baby Gator.
12:23Okay.
12:23That's it right now.
12:24So that's what the teammates are calling you right now.
12:26Yep.
12:27It's either Rook or the coaches is Baby Gator.
12:30And what kind of Rook stuff have they put you through?
12:34So every game, I mean, every away trip, I'm carrying the speaker.
12:39What else do I have?
12:40I have the cards and I got the poker chips.
12:42So that's my role.
12:45Did you have to sing at that practice a couple weeks ago?
12:49Unfortunately, I did.
12:51What song did you do?
12:53I did Rather Be by Clean Bandage.
12:55It's like an old pop song that I used to sing in middle school.
12:58Okay.
12:58Nice.
12:58So you had all the words in your hip pocket already.
13:01Yeah, I was good.
13:01I was good.
13:02Okay.
13:02And how'd that go?
13:04Was it better or worse than you thought it was going to be?
13:07First 10 seconds was good.
13:09And then it got a little awkward as I kept singing.
13:13That's all in this karaoke.
13:15That's right.
13:16Yeah.
13:16All right, Baby Gator.
13:18Thank you so much for calling after a plane flight, man.
13:21That's awesome of you.
13:22We appreciate it.
13:23Yes, sir.
13:23Yeah, appreciate y'all.
13:24Okay, Will Richard.
13:27Will Richard.
13:28Dude.
13:29I love Will Richard.
13:30Join the team, dude.
13:32That's what I'm talking about.
13:33That's awesome.
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