Golden State Warriors

Golden State Warriors: Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:04 p.m. ET

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) waves to the crowd holding the championship trophy next to wife Ayesha Curry (left) during the Warriors 2017 championship victory parade in downtown Oakland. Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Golden State Warriors' illustrious history was mostly born through the draft. Here are their top 10 NBA Draft picks ever.

Right before our eyes, the NBA's next transcendent team has taken shape. The Golden State Warriors — winners of two of the last three titles — are gonna be around for a while. Sure, they may lose a role player or two this offseason, but their core is so ridiculous it won't matter.

What people fail to realize (or simply refuse to acknowledge) is that that very core features three players Golden State acquired through the NBA Draft. (For all the whining and poo-pooing that has gone on regarding super-teams ruining the league, maybe fans should be angrier at their own squads for not drafting better?)

The Warriors' success in the draft isn't a recent development either. They're five-time champs, and a host of their all-timers came from their work selecting between prep prospects. From Hall-of-Famers to multiple-MVP winners, the list of Golden State's best draft picks ever is absolutely absurd.

Some of the men featured on our countdown changed the way people played basketball back in the sport's infancy, while others are currently leading the next step in the evolution. Without further ado, here are the Warriors' top 10 draft picks of all time.

Honorable mentions: Monta Ellis, Jason Richardson, Al Attles, Purvis Short

10. Mitch Richmond (SG) — No. 5 pick in 1988 NBA Draft

Career stats (with the Warriors):  234 GP, 22.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.3 STL, 0.3 BLK, 3.0 TOV, 48.6 FG%, 35.7 3P%, 84.0 FT%

Leading off our list is the "M" from the fabled Run TMC Warriors of the early '90s, Mitch Richmond.

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The 6'5″ shooting guard enjoyed a successful 14-year career — the first three seasons of which took place in Golden State. Over the span of his playing days, Richmond made six All-Star teams, three All-NBA Second Teams, two All-NBA Third Teams and won a title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2002.

For his career, the former Kansas State Wildcat averaged 21.0, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game with a healthy 55.7 True Shooting Percentage. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.

Even though almost all of his accolades came after his Warriors days, his contributions to the franchise as a member of Run TMC are remembered to this day. He, along with two other guys coming up on our countdown, were one of the greatest scoring trios in league history.

During their three seasons together, the Run TMC Dubs ranked fourth, first and second overall in points per game, while placing in the top two in pace every year. They were fast, they were exciting and most of all, they were memorable.

For that, Richmond made the cut over guys like Ellis, Richardson and Attles. (It didn't hurt that he was simply a better player than them, too.)

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

9. Klay Thompson (SG/SF) — No. 11 pick in 2011 NBA Draft

Career stats:  464 GP, 22.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.9 STL, 0.5 BLK, 1.7 TOV, 45.3 FG%, 41.9 3P%, 85.3 FT%

It goes without saying, but the Warriors are on the verge of dynasty status. That's if they're not there already.

Just how good have they been over the past three years? Allow Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey to explain:

So yeah, not bad.

One big reason for their excellence since 2014-15 has been the play of their 11th overall pick from the 2011 NBA Draft, Klay Thompson. The underrated 2-guard is averaging over 22 points per contest for his career, while hitting just fewer than three three-pointers a night.

And for how good he is offensively, he's also become quite the defender to boot. Thompson can comfortably guard positions 1-3, along with most power forwards. (Anyone remember Kevin Love failing to post him up time after time during the 2017 NBA Finals?)

At the end of the day, though, the former Washington State man is an explosive scorer. His career-best performance, to this point, came on Dec. 5 against the Indiana Pacers. That night, Thompson scored 60 points on 33 shot attempts — taking just 11 dribbles all game to accomplish the feat.

We've never seen a shooting talent like Thompson before, and considering he's 27 years old, his prime is just getting started. Scary.

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

8. Tim Hardaway (PG) — No. 14 pick in 1989 NBA Draft

Career stats (with the Warriors):  422 GP, 20.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 9.6 APG, 2.0 STL, 0.2 BLK, 3.3 TOV, 45.8 FG%, 35.3 3P%, 76.8 FT%

Up next on our countdown, it's the "T" portion of Run TMC, Tim Hardaway.

The man known as the UTEP Two-Step, Hardaway had one of the most vicious crossovers in NBA history. Don't believe me? Here's proof:

Over his five-plus seasons with the Warriors, the athletic floor general made three All-Star teams, one All-NBA Second Team and one All-NBA Third Team. A torn ACL and subsequent ugliness with team management led to his eventual trade to the Miami Heat in 1996, but regardless, Hardaway was one of the best Golden State players ever.

To this day, he ranks No. 4 in threes made (602), No. 4 in steals (821) and No. 2 in assists (3,926) in the Bay Area franchise's history.

Among his various career accolades, however, Hardaway still hasn't received a Hall of Fame invite, which is surprising considering how many other (lesser) names have made it in over him. Nonetheless, odds are that it's just a matter of time before he joins Richmond and the third member of Run TMC (who's coming up on our list) in the revered resting place for NBA careers.

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

7. Draymond Green (SF/PF/C) — No. 35 pick in 2012 NBA Draft

Career stats:  397 GP, 9.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.4 STL, 1.0 BLK, 1.8 TOV, 43.5 FG%, 33.4 3P%, 69.5 FT%

Coming in at No. 7 is another current Warrior, Draymond Green. The outspoken, boisterous, swaggerful big man may not be Golden State's best player, but he's the engine that makes them go — especially on the defensive end.

His ability to guard positions 1-5 allows Golden State to use their Death Lineup, which features five players who can handle the ball, shoot and switch everything defensively, when they want to blow games open.

Though head coach Steve Kerr didn't go to the unit much in these past Finals, it was still…deadly (sorry for the terrible pun) effective in brief stints.

What's more, over the 2017 NBA Playoffs, the Warriors were +18.9 points per 100 possessions with Green on the floor; that's even with his relative offensive struggles this year.

Simply put, the former Spartan is among the best (and most unique) defenders the league has to offer. Since he became a full-time starter in 2014-15, Green has ranked second league-wide in defensive win shares twice, and sixth once. It's a foregone conclusion he's going to finally win his first Defensive Player of the Year Award in a few weeks too.

It'll be another honor to go with his two All-Star Game appearances and two All-NBA Defensive First Team berths.

But trust me, I'm sure he cares about the two titles the team has won with him as a key contributor a lot more than all the personal recognition. And that's why he's the perfect fit on this Golden State team with so many big-name stars on it.

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

6. Chris Mullin (SG/SF) — No. 7 pick in 1985 NBA Draft

Career stats (with the Warriors):  787 GP, 20.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.7 STL, 0.6 BLK, 2.7 TOV, 51.4 FG%, 36.6 3P%, 86.2 FT%

The man who completes our Run TMC triad, the all-important "C" of the acronym, is Chris Mullin, who checks in at No. 6 on our list.

The southpaw sharpshooter spent the first 12 years of his career in Golden State, making five All-Star teams in that span, along with All-NBA First Team once, All-NBA Second Team twice and All-NBA Third Team once.

To this day, Mullin ranks No. 4 in Warriors history in scoring (16,235 points), No. 5 in assists (3,146), No. 5 in threes made (590) and No. 1 in steals (1,360).

Although the St. John's legend only averaged 2.2 attempts from beyond the arc a night for his whole career, he's still considered one of the best shooters of all time. His feathery touch from the midrange and the free throw stripe allowed him to shoot 51.4 percent from the field as a Warrior, with a ridiculous 59.3 true shooting percentage.

And you know what the best part is? He's still got it.

Mullin, like a few other guys on our list, was an incredible pure jump-shooter. If he had come around 20 years later, it's very likely the three-pointer would have been a larger part of his arsenal, thus making him an even more efficient monster.

5. Paul Arizin (SF) — Territorial pick in 1950 NBA Draft

Career stats:  713 GP, 22.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, 42.1 FG%, 81.0 FT%

Confused as to what a territorial pick is? Allow our friends over at NBA.com to explain:

Cool, now that we're up to date with 1950s NBA Draft intricacies, we can get to No. 5 on our list.

Paul Arizin spent his entire 10-year career as a member of the Philadelphia Warriors (would have been 12 years, but he took two off to serve as a Marine) — making the All-Star team in every single one. He won an NBA title in 1956, made three All-NBA First Teams and won two scoring titles throughout his playing days.

The 6'4″ wing is credited with another major accolade as well. Arizin was the first player in NBA history to make the jump shot a consistent part of his game. No, seriously — his nickname was literally "Pitchin' Paul."

Iso, hesitation, jab step, pull up midrange jumper…nothing but net. Clearly, Carmelo Anthony watched a ton of Arizin film while developing his game.

In all seriousness, the Hall-of-Famer was an absolute legend, and one of the great Warriors of all time. Considering he served during the Korean War, that term describes him in more ways than one.

4. Nate Thurmond (PF/C) — No. 3 pick in 1963 NBA Draft

Career stats (as a Warrior):  757 GP, 17.4 PPG, 16.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.7 STL, 2.9 BLK, 42.5 FG%, 67.6 FT%

No. 4 on our list is one of the first great big men not just in Warriors history, but in NBA history, Nate Thurmond.

The man who was known as the "Chairman of the Boards" made seven All-Star teams during his time in the Bay, along with two All-Defensive First Teams and three All-Defensive Second Teams.

If you look up Warriors franchise records, you'll see that Thurmond still owns the one for most rebounds in Golden State history at 12,771. No one else is within 2,000 boards of that mark, which is unfathomable to consider.

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Moreover, had blocks been recorded as a stat over the first 10 years he was in the NBA, he almost certainly would own the record for those as well. I mean, rejections weren't counted until 1973-74 when Thurmond was already 32, and he still averaged 2.1 a night for his career.

It's surprising to note that the legendary center made zero All-NBA teams throughout his playing days, but that has a logical explanation.

Per Bill Simmons' roundball epic, The Book of Basketball, Thurmond had the misfortune of peaking during a time when the NBA had other Hall-of-Famers like Bill Russell, Wills Reed, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the guy coming up at No. 2 on our list dominating nightly as well.

Thus, unfortunately, Thurmond has been glossed over historically, regardless of how amazing he was. Damn shame and a mistake, but one that we, as educated basketball chronologists, won't make. Right? Right.

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

3. Rick Barry (SF) — No. 2 pick in 1965 NBA Draft

Career stats (as a Warrior):  642 GP, 25.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 5.1 APG, 2.3 STL, 0.5 BLK, 45.0 FG%, 89.6 FT%

One of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players, Rick Barry checks in at No. 3 on our countdown.

Throughout his absurdly impressive (and kinda fascinating) career, which included a jump to the ABA in the middle of his prime, the University of Miami grad made eight All-Star rosters, five All-NBA First Teams, one All-NBA Second Team and led the league in scoring in 1966-67 at 35.6 points per game.

Barry also owns a Finals MVP trophy for his contributions during the 1975 championship series. During the four-game sweep over the Washington Bullets, the underhand free throw shooter averaged 29.5 points, 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 steals nightly and hit 93.8 percent of his attempts from the foul stripe while shooting them…wait for it…underhanded!

It's almost incomprehensible Barry was a career 89.3 percent free throw shooter while taking them in a manner referred to as "granny style." But he did, so kudos, I suppose.

To this day, the 6'8″ wing is No. 2 in Warriors history in points (16,447), No. 3 in steals (929), No. 2 in field goals made (6,466) and No. 4 in assists (3,247). Had he not made that aforementioned move to the ABA for four years of his prime, he'd rank even higher in each of those categories, too.

Regardless, Barry is still easily one of the greatest Warriors ever.

2. Wilt Chamberlain (C) — Territorial pick in 1959 NBA Draft

Career stats (as a Warrior):  429 GP, 41.7 PPG, 25.3 RPG, 3.0 APG, 50.6 FG%, 56.8 FT%

Just look at those career averages. Over 429 games as a Warrior, Wilt Chamberlain averaged nearly 42 points and over 25 rebounds a night while hitting over half of his shot attempts.

(For the record, that last stat shouldn't be ignored. Shooting 50+ percent in the late '50s and early '60s was nearly unheard of. Russell, a fellow legendary big from the era, shot 44.0 percent for his career; Thurmond, who we just covered, shot 42.5 percent as a Warrior; Bob Pettit shot 43.6 percent during his pristine career. All three big men are Hall-of-Famers.)

Okay, sorry, got sidetracked by Chamberlain's greatness for a second, back to his accolades as a Warrior.

Over the span of his playing days, the "Big Dipper" won four MVPs (one with the Bay Area franchise), made 13 All-Star teams, seven All-NBA First Teams, three All-NBA Second Teams, won seven scoring titles and 11 rebounding titles.

There was even one year where Chamberlain led the league in total assists (702 — 8.6 per game) because he got tired of hearing people complain about his lack of passing. He was that freakishly talented.

Sadly, the former Kansas Jayhawk was never able win a title with the Warriors, which is the only reason he's No. 2 on our list. Even then, it feels foolish to put anyone but him first. Then again, the guy coming up is probably equally as deserving.

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

1. Stephen Curry (PG) — No. 7 pick in 2009 NBA Draft

Career stats:  574 GP, 22.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 6.8 APG, 1.8 STL, 0.2 BLK, 3.2 TOV, 47.6 FG%, 43.8 3P%, 90.1 FT%

Where else could we cap off our countdown than with the greatest shooter in NBA history, Stephen Curry?

Over the last five seasons, the floor general has led the league in three-pointers attempted and made — converting an absurd 43.7 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. In that time span, he's also been the NBA's best in steals twice, free throw accuracy twice and points per game once.

Those accomplishments pale in comparison, though, to some of his other career accolades: Two-time MVP (2015, unanimous in 2016), two-time NBA champion and four All-NBA Team honors.

Furthermore, though many (sorta rightfully) believe Kevin Durant took away some of his shine this season — an opinion aided by the fact Durant won Finals MVP in 2017 — statistics show Curry is still the team's most vital player.

For proof, check out this chart from NBA Math:

Need an overly simplistic explanation as to why that may be so? Well, here's one:

Curry's ability to knock down threes from anywhere on the court turns him into a magnet for defenders, which, in turn, opens up absurdly vacant lanes for his teammates.

Just watch how J.R. Smith chooses to cover the sharpshooter in transition instead of stopping the ball:

That may appear to be just a boneheaded mistake by Smith. However, in the postseason, Curry shot 66.7 percent from the left corner, so perhaps the Cavs 2-guard made the wise decision here?

That's the exact kind of predicament Golden State can put you in. Durant, Green and Thompson are outstanding, sure, but the No. 7 pick from the 2009 NBA Draft is still the Warriors' most irreplaceable player. And it's not close.

-All statistics provided by Basketball Reference, unless otherwise noted. 

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