Warriors make surprise decision on rookie draft pick

Alex Kirschenbaum

Warriors make surprise decision on rookie draft pick image

The Golden State Warriors have made a surprising decision on one of their two second-round rookie draft selections.

MORE NEWS: Golden State shores up roster with veterans amid Kuminga standoff 

Sources inform ESPN's Shams Charania that, fresh off reportedly inking No. 56 pick shooting guard Will Richard out of Florida to a four-year standard roster deal, the Warriors plan to ink small forward Alex Toohey via a two-way deal.

Despite being selected four spots ahead of Richard, the 21-year-old Toohey will be toggled between Golden State's standard roster and its G League affiliate squad, the Santa Cruz Warriors.

An intriguing Australian prospect

In six Summer League games for Golden State, the 6-foot-8 Aussie averaged a scant 6.8 points on .262/.235/.714 shooting splits, 3.8 rebounds, 1.2 swipes, 0.7 dishes, and 0.5 rejections a night.

MORE NEWS: Warriors bring back fan favorite Gary Payton II on new deal

Toohey had spent his last two pro seasons playing for his home country's National Basketball League squad, the Sydney Kings. 

Across 29 games for Sydney last year, Toohey averaged 10.6 points while slashing .449/.310/.726, 4.0 boards, 1.4 steals, 1.3 assists, and 0.8 blocks in just 23.0 minutes per.

MORE NEWS: 

Alex Kirschenbaum

Alex Kirschenbaum is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He grew up a devout Bulls fan, but his hoops fanaticism now extends to non-Bulls teams in adulthood. Currently also a scribe for Hoops Rumors, Sports Illustrated's On SI fan sites Newsweek and "Small Soldiers" director Joe Dante's film site Trailers From Hell, Alex is an alum of Men's Journal, Grizzlies fan site Grizzly Bear Blues and Bulls fan sites Blog-A-Bull and Pippen Ain't Easy, among others