Walter Clayton Jr. and Will Richard: Former Florida Stars Make Early NBA Preseason Noise

Florida’s championship backcourt is already leaving fingerprints on the pros. In the span of a day, Will Richard flashed two-way bite in a starting look for Golden State, while Walter Clayton Jr. continued to carve out a trusted guard role in Utah’s preseason. The pair that powered the Gators’ 2025 surge now reads as ready-made rotation candidates—each leaning into the exact traits that made them so difficult to game-plan in college.

Will Richard shows 3-and-D punch for the Warriors

For Golden State, the preseason priority is simple: identify wings who can defend multiple spots, space the floor, and keep the ball moving. Richard checked those boxes in his latest run, posting double-digit points with a trio of made threes, active hands in the passing lanes, and the willingness to take the opponent’s toughest assignment for stretches. The box score nods matter, but the eye test stood taller: he sprinted into corners in early offense, hunted clean catch-and-shoot windows, and contested without fouling.

Golden State’s depth chart on the wing is crowded, yet fluid. What separates Richard right now is repeatable value—low-dribble decision-making, plus-length contests, and a jumper that doesn’t need the ball to find rhythm. If he keeps stacking solid minutes, he projects as a plug-and-play spacer who can toggle between lineups with stars or second units alike.

Walter Clayton Jr. brings pace, poise, and point-of-attack edge to Utah

Utah’s guard room has been searching for an organizer who can also pressure the rim and guard in space. Clayton has leaned into that brief. He’s been a tone-setter with the ball—pushing pace after makes, triggering early drag screens, and probing until the defense blinks. The intrigue spikes on defense: he fights over picks, rotates on time, and turns live-ball steals into instant transition.

What’s most encouraging is his composure. Clayton’s shot profile—balanced between rhythm threes, paint touches, and timely kickouts—looks translatable. Add in sturdy free-throw mechanics and you get a rookie guard who can stay on the floor during the inevitable preseason chaos. Utah doesn’t need fireworks; it needs stability with an edge, and Clayton is offering exactly that.

Why their games translate so quickly

• Off-ball gravity (Richard): Florida used Richard as a weak-side spacer who cut and relocated with purpose. In the NBA, that habit creates easy threes and opens driving lanes for stars.

• Screen navigation (Clayton): The Gators’ guard-heavy scheme demanded guards survive switches and chase shooters. Clayton’s footwork and anticipation are already NBA-viable.

• Processing speed (both): Neither player over-dribbles. They make the next pass and keep the advantage alive—an undervalued skill that coaching staffs prize in October.

What this means for Florida’s guard pipeline

Florida’s title run wasn’t a one-off for the program’s identity; it was a blueprint. Guards were empowered to shoot, defend, and make rapid reads. Seeing Richard and Clayton transition quickly reinforces the notion that Todd Golden’s system develops pros who can contribute early without being the focal scorer. That’s a powerful recruiting signal and a validation of the staff’s emphasis on conditioning, versatility, and decision-making under pressure.

Early roster math and path to minutes

• Golden State (Richard): The pathway is through defense-first lineups. If he keeps hitting open threes at volume and generating extra possessions with deflections and steals, he becomes sticky in the rotation—even if the usage stays modest.

• Utah (Clayton): Minutes hinge on steady ball-handling and point-of-attack defense. If he continues to limit turnovers while igniting secondary breaks, he can lock down a reliable role as a second-unit organizer who closes situationally.

Micro-skills to watch in the next preseason outings

1. Richard’s relocation threes: Does he keep finding clean feet-set looks when the scouting report adjusts?

2. Clayton’s live-dribble passing: Can he string out drop coverage and hit the slot cutter consistently?

3. Both on late-clock defense: NBA minutes are earned by surviving mismatches with five seconds left. Their college habits suggest they won’t blink.

Big-picture takeaway

The headline is not just that Walter Clayton Jr. and Will Richard are playing well; it’s how they’re doing it—by leaning into scalable, winning habits. Richard’s floor-spacing and defensive range fit any lineup. Clayton’s pace control and screen craft give Utah a steady hand. It’s early, but the connective tissue is there: two championship guards translating the same fundamentals that fueled Florida’s run into tangible NBA preseason value. If this week is the baseline, both players have a real shot to convert October trust into November minutes.