Two national champions from the Florida Gators will get to team up in San Francisco Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Pair of Former Gators Basketball Stars Sign with Golden State Warriors

Originally posted on Florida Gators on SI
By Kyle Lander | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 10:47 AM ET

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on X on Sunday that former Florida Gators basketball stars Al Horford and Will Richard were expected to sign multi-year deals with the Golden State Warriors.

BREAKING: Free agent Al Horford has committed to a multi-year deal with the Golden State Warriors, agent Jason Glushon tells ESPN. After seven of the past nine years in Boston and winning the 2024 title, Horford will enter his 19th NBA season as the Warriors' starting center. pic.twitter.com/xQTv2TjKeF
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 28, 2025

The 2025 NBA season will mark the 19th year in the league for Horford. This will be the first time in his professional career that he will head out west to play.

In his career, he has played nine years for the Atlanta Hawks, seven for the Boston Celtics and a year each for the Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder apiece. During this span, he totaled 1,138 regular-season games played and averaged 12.9 points per game, 7.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 blocks.

He also finally ended the 2023-24 year in triumph. After hunting for an NBA championship for 17 years, he came out on top with the Celtics over the Warriors in the 2024 NBA Finals. Additionally, he is a five-time All-Star.

Richard will be hoping to mimic Horford’s career in several ways, one of which is his longevity in the league. The 2024-25 national champion is entering his first year in the league after being taken by the Memphis Grizzlies with pick No. 56 of the 2025 NBA Draft and traded to the Warriors on draft night.

The 22-year-old rookie is signing a four-year contract with the Warriors, but only two years of the deal are fully guaranteed, according to Charania. Still, it is a great sign for how the Warriors view the newcomer, investing in his talents and giving him a multi-year contract instead of a two-way deal.

Golden State's No. 56 pick Will Richard is signing a four-year contract, with two years fully guaranteed as the Warriors invest long-term in the rookie, his agents Jared Mucha and Marcus Monk of Excel Sports Management tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/iKP7XwHM8W
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 29, 2025

He was also able to make his NBA 2k26 Summer League debut this summer. In four games played for Richard, he averaged 10.3 points per game, 4.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.3 steals.

Horford and Richard do share some similarities from their time with the Gators. Both were key pieces for their national championship-winning teams.

The former surprised many after winning the Gators' first national championship in 2006 by returning for an additional season in Gainesville. It was a worthwhile choice from Horford, too, with the Gators becoming repeat national champions in 2007.

However, Richard unfortunately won’t have the chance to defend his title. The former Gator won it all in his final year of eligibility at the college level and will instead be watching his former teammates in their pursuit of becoming back-to-back champions.

Golden State opens its 2025 account on Tuesday, Oct. 21, against the Los Angeles Lakers.