About the Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors organization began as the Philadelphia Warriors and played under that name until 1962.  As the Warriors the franchise was established as one of the original members of the Basketball Association of America (BAA).  In 1947 the Warriors won their first BAA championship by beating the Chicago Stags.  The Following year, let by 'Jumpin' Joe Fulks the Warriors made it to the championship game again but lost to the Baltimore Bullets. 

Behind owner, general manager and coach Eddie Gottlieb the Warriors were successful throughout the late 1940's and 1950's.  Behind Wilt Chamberlain, a native of Philadelphia, the Warriors became one of the powerhouses of the BAA.  Chamberlain won the leagues scoring title in seven consecutive years, also winning the League MVP trophy and rookie of the year honors.  In one game Chamberlain amassed 100 points, largely leading to the institution of the 'paint' rule in professional basketball. 

After moving to the San Francisco in 1962, the team was renamed the San Francisco Warriors.  Behind Chamberlain they continued to have success making it to the NBA Finals in 1964 before losing to the Boston Celtics.  After that the Warriors fortunes declined as they traded their best player, Wilt Chamberlain to the Philadelphia 76ers.  What was a home coming for Chamberlain was a knife in the heart for Warriors fans as they watched their team fall apart at the seams.  All was not lost as the Warriors acquired Rick Barry the next year who led the league in scoring while leading his team to the NBA finals.  That year the Warriors fell to, you guessed it, Wilt Chamberlain and his Philadelphia 76ers.

Once the season was over Barry went to the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the team did not make the playoffs.  Once the ABA collapsed Barry returned to the Warriors for the 1972 season and was his usual self, standing near the top in scoring in each year.  In 1971 the team once again relocated to it's current home in Oakland, California and was re-named the Golden State Warriors.  After a few playoff years with their new city and new name the Golden State Warriors won the NBA Finals in 1975, defeating the Washington Bullets in an upset. 

After the 1975 season the Golden State Warriors have failed to make it to the NBA Finals.  The Warriors made it to the playoffs in the early 1980's but couldn't make it past the first round.  Coach Don Nelson was hired to change the teams fortunes, as was Tim Hardaway, Chris Mullen and Mitch Richmond, however the Golden State Warriors still could not get past the first round of the playoffs.  In the 1990's the Golden State Warriors drafted Chris Weber, a member of Michigan's Fab Five starting lineup that made it to the NCAA championship game before losing with second on the clock.  Plagued by injuries and team members leaving for greener pastures, the Golden State Warriors continued their decline in the 1990's and are hoping to change things around.