SAN FRANCISCO -- The Warriors' newest guard, Mychal Mulder, signed his 10-day contract just after shootaround on Thursday afternoon. By the end of the deal, the former Sioux Falls Skyforce guard hopes to play his way into a longer role with Golden State.
Mulder got the call from a Warriors staffer Tuesday evening, asking if the guard was interested following a 100-99 victory over the Austin Spurs. Unsure of the number, he declined the call. When the number called again, he eagerly accepted the early morning flight to the Bay Area.
"We want to offer you a 10-day," Mulder recalled the official saying. "I know it's late at night, but would you be willing to get on a flight over here at 6:00 a.m.?
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"And I was like, 'Sir, I'll get on a flight anytime you want me to. I'll go right now if you want.' "
His arrival is needed. A competent 3-point shooter, he made 39 percent of his shots from beyond the arc in 33 appearances. As Mulder's makes accumulated, the Warriors have made just 33 percent of their 3-pointers on the season, the third-worst mark in the NBA.
Mulders' career has been defined by movement. After light recruitment out of high school, he attended Vincennes University, averaging 15.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore, earning a scholarship to Kentucky. Following a two-year stint with the Wildcats, he went undrafted, and then had stints with the Skyforce where he earned a training camp invite with the Miami Heat in September.
On Thursday, he credited the G League with his development.
Golden State Warriors
"I got a ton of love, a ton of respect for the G," he said. "Me being a Juco guy too, I'm kind of a guy that understands the long road, the path less traveled. And the growth of the G League over the last five, 10 years or so, even the last three that I've been in it, it's been amazing to see."
With the Skyforce, former Warriors guard Jarrett Jack was Mulder's teammate, giving the 25-year-old journeymen sage advice on his way out of the G League.
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"He was the first one to call me talking about, 'I'm going to call those guys down there and make sure they take care of you. And anything you need, give me a call. I'll have it for you in 30 minutes. I'm going to take care of you.'
"It's great to have a vet like that around," Mulder added. "And you can really see it, how he interacts with the guys and the rookie guys, he makes us so much better and helps us learn and get over that learning curve so much faster."
Now, In his first 10 days in Golden State, Mulder is expected to join the team in upcoming matchups against the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers. Nonetheless, Mulder feels confident he can provide value to a battered roster.
"Whatever role these guys want me in, I'm absolutely happy to do it," he said. "Whether it's shoot the ball, whether it's make plays for others, whether it's wave a towel. I'm out here to do whatever I can do for the team and help the team win to the best of my abilities, and that's all my job is."