The Golden State Warriors headed into the Hawaii training camp with very little going in their favor. Turns out that within only a few sessions, head coach Steve Kerr and a couple of players, including Draymond Green, cannot stop talking about a new guard on the roster. In fact, Kerr even made a unique comparison to 2015 Dubs champion Leandro Barbosa.

Speaking to media members after practice, Kerr detailed how Brandon Williams’ burst of pace alters the Warriors’ tactical approach and noted his competency alongside Stephen Curry. Also, speed is something this aging Dubs core has lacked for a long time.

“[Williams] is the fastest guy we’ve ever had here,” Kerr said (via reporter Luca Evans on X). “[Leandro] Barbosa would come to mind for me. Barbosa was lightning. Brandon’s more on-ball. LB was a lot off-ball transition, running ahead, catching and finishing. Brandon is probably more of a high pick-and-roll speedster, and it changes the calculus. It gives you more options.”

Kerr explained that Barbosa, nicknamed “The Brazilian Blur” during his career for his unmatched speed, got his legendary pace by breaking into open space. One of his most effective performances came in December 2014, only months after he had joined the Warriors, against the Philadelphia 76ers. He scored 17 points on 5 of 9 shooting, bringing energy to the game off the bench. He won his first and only Larry O’Brien title with the franchise just a couple of months later.

Williams, by contrast, operates as a primary ball-handler who maintains top speed while navigating the crowd with the basketball in his hands. Although we are still early into the 2026-27 season’s calendar, Kerr also highlighted how Brandon Williams’ speed can unlock unique lineup variations alongside Stephen Curry, particularly when disrupting opposing offenses.

“Steph is obviously an incredible off-ball player, so I could absolutely see those two being like that on defense,” Kerr noted. “What I want to see from Brandon is understanding his importance to us in terms of using his speed, creating opportunities, but also taking care of the ball and then using that speed on the defensive end. I think he has the potential to be the defensive pest.”

Williams joined the Warriors on a one-year, $2.6 million contract in late August after spending last season with the Dallas Mavericks, where he averaged 13.0 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.9 rebounds over 66 games in Kyrie Irving’s absence. The area of concern Kerr hinted at, though, was the turnovers. He averaged 1.9 per game last season.

But during Thursday’s practice session, Williams showcased his elite speed in real time. In one featured play, Williams intercepted an errant pass from Curry, drove down the court in just three dribbles, and delivered a slick bounce pass to Gui Santos for an easy transition layup.

Later in the scrimmage, Williams repeatedly blew by defenders, getting into the teeth of the defense to make plays and score on smooth downhill finishes. He notably attempted 60 percent of his shots from within 10 feet of the rim.

Williams’ rapid pace left his new teammates both impressed and entertained. Veteran forward Georges Niang offered a very on-trend comparison.

“He’s kind of like the Road Runner, right? He’s just like, meep-meep,” Niang remarked. “As a guy like myself that moves from slow to slower, I can appreciate how fast he moves.”

Niang spent Thursday’s scrimmage as the small-ball center in the secondary “yellow” group alongside Williams, Gui Santos, De’Anthony Melton, and Gary Payton II.

Then, recording his podcast from his Hawaii hotel room, Draymond Green echoed the same sentiment, praising the 26-year-old’s ability to turn raw quickness into actual controlled rim pressure.

“Brandon Williams is fast as hell,” Green said. “He is fast and crafty. Get downhill. Finish is incredible. He’s like floating and, like, super smooth. He’s been really good.”

Meanwhile, Santos added that Williams’ decisiveness in choosing a lane a split second early makes him “really hard” to contain once he turns the corner.

It is also important to note that Williams had 4.6 attempts per game from the charity stripe in 22 minutes last season. If he is able to produce similar output this season, he will even help fill a partial void left by the injured Jimmy Butler.

While Golden State’s primary starting unit features Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Yaxel Lendeborg, Green, and Al Horford, Williams is carving out a vital role in the secondary unit.

With Curry expected to manage his workload during the regular season, Williams will compete for rotational minutes with Melton, Payton II, and Will Richard, while positioning himself as a primary option to start when Curry rests. If Williams does well in preseason, he can easily expect 15 minutes per game because Kerr has key players of the roster in the medical room.

For the most part, though, Williams already knows how he wants to impact the game.

“For me, just getting into the paint and letting my ability just dictate what to do, if that’s to score, to set up my teammates, or just being a pest just by getting to the paint, I feel like I can help the team out in any regard,” Williams said.

After Thursday’s scrimmage, Kerr said his team “needed a day like this” and that Saturday will be “short and crisp” as a final showcase ahead of Sunday’s preseason opener against the Los Angeles Clippers.