GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 28, 2026

Will Richard

Media Conference

Q. You enjoy that Cal game?

WILL RICHARD: It was fun. It wasn't a Florida Gator football game, but it was all right.

Q. How are you kind of feeling about entering year 2 of the season of your career and everything?

WILL RICHARD: Yeah, I'm excited. I've had a great summer working, getting prepared for the season, so I'm excited. It's going to be a good year.

Q. Will, you were saying you were living in the gym. Muscle-wise, how much did you add in the last six months or so?

WILL RICHARD: Yeah, I definitely put on some muscle. I'm not sure the exact number, but definitely added some muscle around my whole body and my legs, upper body and stuff like that. It's about a summer of grinding for sure.

Q. How would you describe your mindset and approach especially the first half of the year, when you are missing Moses and Jimmy?

WILL RICHARD: Yeah, just hungry. I'm going out there trying to compete at a high level every time. Missing those guys, everybody has to take a step up because they do so much for our team. So definitely going out with that mindset that we all have to step up to kind of fill that void.

Q. What does it mean to have Jimmy kind of gather the guys even though he is not available to play?

WILL RICHARD: Yeah, I mean, it's special. It just shows how much he cares about the team, the organization in general. Just bringing everybody together. We were talking about it, that's not normal for a guy to be able to do that and want to do that every year.

Just having him being able to do that and us build chemistry and have fun and spend time together before camp was very fun.

Q. You and Yax have kind of built a little bit of a relationship going now, and what are your thoughts obviously being around him and watching him play?

WILL RICHARD: Yeah, I mean, me and Yax have got a little relationship going, definitely. Cool to have somebody young around like that that I can kind of be in their shoes and stuff like that. He just won a Natty too, so definitely some connections.

Definitely every time he steps on the court, he plays the right way. He comes from a winning program, so knows how to play. He has fun. Just works hard, which is always good.

Q. If your team at Florida would have played his team at Michigan, how would that go?

WILL RICHARD: I'll say Gators by 7. He says they'll smack us, but that's just him talking his heart.

Q. Having just experienced the growing pains of a rookie season, how do you think Yaxel's game will translate to the league?

WILL RICHARD: I think his is going to translate very well. He knows how to play the right way. He makes the right passes, attacks when he needs to. So I think he's going to translate very well. He's been doing good this whole summer and the runs we've been having. So I think he's going to have a good year.

Q. If I recall, LJ Cryer was part of that conversation too, wasn't he?

WILL RICHARD: Yeah, but we're not too much worried about his team (laughing).

Q. What specifically about Yaxel's passing, how important is that do you think to his transition, and how much does that matter given the way you guys play with the ball movement and the player movement and all that?

WILL RICHARD: For sure it definitely helps. Just being able to make the right reads, he's tall and can handle the ball. So he can see different stuff happening on the floor. He sees over defenders and stuff like that.

So I think with the way we play basketball, the ball movement and everything, it will definitely help with him being able to pass the way he does.

Q. What did it mean to you when you saw Steph recommit to the franchise and extend?

WILL RICHARD: Yeah, that was special. Steph has done so much for this organization and continues to take his game to another level every year and just shows what it means to value the game and attack it the right way.

So having him recommit is definitely special for everybody.

Q. Will, he you went often to Ballhalla this offseason. How did you like it? What do you like in the Valkyries, and what do you see them doing in these playoffs?

WILL RICHARD: Yeah, it was very fun. They play the right way. They have fun while they're playing, and the energy and environment was great. The fans are special. They make the game very fun to go to. It makes for a great environment.

I feel like the players feed off of it, everybody feeds off of it, it was just great being able to go there and support the team.

Q. Do you think it was louder than when the Warriors play?

WILL RICHARD: Our fans are great. I think both fans are great, so it's definitely good for both ways.