OAKLAND — Will Cherry grew up close to the Warriors’ practice facility, attended camps at the facility as a youngster and served as a camp instructor there in the summer the last four years.
On Monday, the former Montana star guard was again at the Warriors practice facility, this time for an NBA predraft workout with five other players.
“I have been coming here since I was younger, doing the Warriors camps. … Every time a Warrior person would come and talk to us, I always dreamt of being one of those persons,” Cherry, a 2009 McClymonds High graduate, said. “I can remember always going through these drills and … winning a lot of awards, going home with bags and bags of stuff, Warrior stuff, Warriors ball, Warriors shirts, autographed hats, you name it, I had it in my closet.”
Cherry worked out for the Warriors along with guards Keion Bell of Missouri and D.J. Cooper of Ohio, guard/forward Dwayne Davis of Southern Mississippi, forward Keith Clanton of Central Florida and center Ehimen Orukpe of Wichita State. As of now, the Warriors do not have a pick in the June 27 draft.
“It’s definitely an amazing day for me,” Cherry said. “It’s all about showcasing what you’ve working on after college.”
Cherry starred for the undefeated McClymonds team that won the 2008 California Interscholastic Federation Division I state title, and continued that success at the college level.
He was named first-team All-Big Sky for the past three seasons and the defensive player of the year for the conference as a senior. The 6-foot-1 Cherry averaged 13.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game for the Grizzlies this past season. Cherry graduated from Montana on May 18 with a degree in communications.
When asked what he could provide for the Warriors as a player, he said “I’m tough and rugged. I come from Oakland … Being in Oakland, I’m pretty sure you go down the list of guards, they are tough and rugged and they have a never-say-die attitude.”
“Also … I pride myself on defense. I don’t like getting scored on.”
Cherry talked about an April 27 incident in Missoula, Mont., that resulted in misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest against him.
“That’s an unfortunate situation,” said the 22-year-old Cherry, who said that it happened in a bar and alcohol was involved. “I didn’t go looking for trouble or nothing like that. Basically I was just trying to decipher a situation when things spiraled out of control and a punch was thrown and hit me … so I was forced to defend myself.”
