Will Richard shows off stroke in Orange & Blue Debut
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — During preseason camp, Florida assistant coach Kevin Hovde revealed that Belmont transfer Will Richard was one of the best shooters on the team.
He confirmed that in the Orange & Blue Debut on Tuesday night. Richard was the star of the scrimmage, leading all scorers with 11 points.
The bulk of those came from beyond the arc, as he knocked down a trio of 3-pointers with an impressive stroke in the 34-29 win.
“He’s unselfish, but he can obviously really shoot. He’s a good straight-line driver, pretty good with the ball. He’s just a good player. He’s a really good player,” UF coach Todd Golden said of Richard. “He plays really hard. And it sounds kind of simple and not super complicated, but Will always finds himself around the ball — offensively, defensively, in transition. He runs hard every time. And again, it doesn’t sound like much, but when you run hard like that you give yourself an opportunity to get transition more.”
RELATED: Will Richard emerging as one of UF’s top shooters
Richard averaged 12.1 points and 6.0 rebounds as a freshman at Belmont in 2021-22, helping the Bruins to a 25-8 overall record (15-3 Ohio Valley) and an NIT bid. Along with his shooting ability, he’s just as effective on the defensive end according to Golden.
“Honestly, his offensive game is just one of the strengths he has. He’s a very good defender. Really active in terms of getting steals and blocks. He’s a great rebounder for his position, so I’m really happy to have him,” Golden said.
“A lot of the stuff he does you can’t really teach. You just gotta figure out the best way to use him. And he provides athleticism, but he also plays physical. It’s a good feeling when he’s on the floor.”
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Richard could start the opener
Golden added that Richard, who missed some time in camp with a knee injury, has a chance to start Monday in the season opener vs. Stony Brook.
He returned to practice in mid-October and played in both preseason scrimmages against Miami and Jacksonville.
“It’s been great to have him back there,” Hovde said of Richard. “I think he has a really good sense of the game or some would say a high basketball IQ. He’s always in the right spot. He’s a great cutter, and he has great timing on his cuts. We noticed when we watched his film at Belmont last year. He’s a great rebounder at his size and has a general knack for the ball.
“We really feel like he’s going to be a great shooter. Last year, his numbers were about 30 percent from three as a freshman. Shot it great early in the year but not as great in conference play. Him and Myreon Jones were the two that separated themselves on our shooting drills. It’s really, really important to have guys that can make shots.”
