Alvin Attles presents Rick Barry with the Golden State Warriors Legend Award in 2011.
The Warriors have won four championships over the last 11 seasons, and it seems likely that Stephen Curry and Draymond Green will have their numbers retired when they decide to call it a career. That’s not the only time this franchise found success, as they once had one of the greatest players of all time. He currently owns the all-time rebounding record, so let’s start there!
(13) Wilt Chamberlain
It would take a book to acknowledge Chamberlain’s accomplishments, regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history. It all started when he was taken by the Philadelphia Warriors in the 1959 NBA Draft, winning Rookie of the Year and MVP in that debut season. In 1962, Chamberlain set a single-game scoring record by scoring 100 points for the Warriors. He won MVP four times and made an All-Star appearance in 13 of his 15 seasons. In his six seasons with the Warriors, Wilt the Stilt averaged 41.5 points and 21.5 rebounds per game, leading the league in scoring in all of those. He also won two championships and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
(14) Tom Meschery
Meschery was the seventh overall pick in the 1961 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia Warriors. He spent his first six seasons with the Warriors when they were in San Francisco and Philadelphia. That was the best stretch of his 10-year career, averaging 12.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He made his only All-Star appearance in his second season and became the first foreign-born player (China) to make an All-Star appearance. He also went to San Francisco High School and St. Mary’s, establishing himself as a Bay Arena hero.
(16) Alvin Attles
Attles spent his full 11-year career with the Warriors, averaging 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. He made an impact when he took over as coach (1969-1983) shortly after his playing career, winning a title in 1975. He was also the GM after he stepped down as coach and was employed by the Warriors for the remainder of his life. That accounted for 64 years in total, with Attles being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.
(17) Chris Mullin
Mullin was taken seventh overall in the 1985 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors, and he spent his first 12 seasons with this organization. He made five straight All-Star appearances between 1988 and 1993, averaging at least 25 points per game. Mullin averaged 20.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game as a Warrior. Before the Stephen Curry era, Mullin led the franchise in games played (807) and still ranks in the top 5 in that category and points scored (16,235). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.
(24) Rick Barry
Barry was the fourth overall pick in the 1965 NBA Draft by the San Francisco Warriors, and he spent eight seasons with the organization between the NBA and ABA. That was the most successful portion of his career, with Barry averaging 25.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.3 steals in eight seasons with the Warriors. Barry made the All-Star team in his first 12 seasons and took the Rookie of the Year award as well. He also won Finals MVP in his one championship in 1975. Barry was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987.
(42) Nate Thurmond
Like many of these guys, Thurmond made his name when the Warriors played in the Bay. Thurmond was taken third overall in the 1963 NBA Draft, spending his first 11 seasons with the franchise. He finished third in Rookie of the Year voting in his debut season and made an All-Star appearance in seven of the next 10 seasons. He also finished second in MVP voting in 1966, averaging 17.4 points, 16.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He is the franchise leader with 12,771 rebounds, and no active Golden State player has 6,000 rebounds. Thurmond made seven All-Star appearances and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.
