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Warriors Working Out Record-Setting Point Guard Ahead of NBA Draft

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sean Deveney | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 9:35 PM ET

One thing that was clear about the Golden State Warriors after their loss to the Timberwolves in the NBA postseason semifinals last month was that, in order to compete in the Western Conference, they're going to need more size. The Lakers struggled to find the big men to keep up with Minnesota, an especially noteworthy problem when you consider that the Wolves then lacked the size to keep up with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West finals.

So maybe the answer for the Dubs, when it comes to the upcoming NBA draft--in which Golden State holds only the No. 41 overall pick--is to pick the second-smallest player in the incoming class.

All right, well, maybe not. But that player, Gonzaga point guard Ryan Nembhard, will be working out for the Warriors on Tuesday, as Golden State not only seeks to get bigger up front but also looks for a quality backup point guard for Stephen Curry.

Nembhard is the brother of Indiana Pacers starter Andrew Nembhard, and is hoping that his brother's path will open some doors for him. The problem is that Andrew Nembhard, who was the first pick of the second round in 2022, is listed at 6-foot-5, while Ryan Nembhard measured at only 5-foot-11 at the NBA's draft combine, making him the second-shortest player in the draft class.

That's the downside. The upside is that Nembhard was the best pure passer in college basketball last year, leading the nation with 9.8 assists per game and setting a school record for assists in a season at 243--not bad at a college that has had NBA point guards like John Stockton, Jalen Suggs and Dan Dickau on hand.

Interesting name to watch for from the Warriors draft workout tomorrow: Ryan Nembhard

Younger brother of Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard averaged 10.5 points, 9.8 assists, 1.7 steals and shot 40.4 from 3 as a senior at Gonzaga
— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) June 2, 2025