22
Oct
5 min read
Golden State Warriors NBA Profile: Five things you need to know
NBA Championships from Rick Barry to Stephen Curry
- Innovative offense led by superstar Stephen Curry
- Multiple championships in the 2010s and 2020s
- Featured the iconic "Splash Brothers" backcourt of Curry and Klay Thompson
The Warriors have become one of the NBA's most successful and popular franchises, transforming from longtime strugglers to perennial contenders behind an innovative, three-point heavy offense and the transcendent talents of Stephen Curry. With six NBA Finals appearances and four championships since 2015, the Warriors have established themselves as a modern basketball dynasty.
Key Details
Location: San Francisco, California
Year Founded: 1946
Home Arena: Chase Center
Championships: 7 (1947, 1956, 1975, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022)
Major Rivals: Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers
Australians who have played for the Golden State Warriors
Andrew Bogut: Born in Melbourne, Victoria, Bogut was traded to the Warriors in March 2012. He played a pivotal role as the team's starting centre, contributing significantly to their 2015 NBA Championship victory. Known for his defensive prowess and playmaking abilities, Bogut was instrumental in establishing the Warriors' defensive identity during his tenure. He had two stints with the team, from 2012 to 2016 and briefly in 2019.
Identity
The Warriors have become synonymous with a free-flowing, three-point heavy offensive system that revolutionised the modern NBA. Under head coach Steve Kerr, the team emphasises ball and player movement, utilising the otherworldly shooting abilities of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to stretch defenses to their breaking point. The Warriors play an unselfish brand of basketball, always looking for the extra pass to find the open man.
Golden State's team culture is built on joy and togetherness. Players genuinely enjoy playing with one another and buying into the team-first mentality. There's an emphasis on having fun and expressing oneself on the court while still maintaining discipline within the system.
Legacy & Impact
The Warriors' greatest era has undoubtedly been the 2010s into the early 2020s. After decades of mediocrity, the franchise became the class of the NBA behind the homegrown core of Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green. From 2014-15 to 2018-19, Golden State made five straight NBA Finals appearances, winning three championships.
The 2015-16 Warriors set an NBA record with 73 regular season wins. While they fell short in the Finals that year, they rebounded to win back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018 after adding superstar Kevin Durant. The Warriors returned to championship glory in 2022, cementing their status as an enduring NBA dynasty.
Key figures in Warriors history include Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry, and Chris Mullin from earlier eras. But the current core of Curry, Thompson, Green and coach Steve Kerr will go down as the most impactful figures in franchise lore for elevating the Warriors to unprecedented heights.
Five Fast Facts
- Stephen Curry holds the NBA record for most three-pointers made in a season with 402 in 2015-16.
- The Warriors won an NBA-record 73 games in the 2015-16 regular season.
- Golden State made five straight NBA Finals appearances from 2015-2019, winning three titles.
- Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single game for the Warriors in 1962, an NBA record.
- The franchise relocated from Philadelphia to San Francisco in 1962, and became the "Golden State" Warriors in 1971.
Club Timeline
1946: Franchise founded as Philadelphia Warriors
1962: Team relocates to San Francisco
1971: Renamed "Golden State Warriors"
1975: Win NBA championship led by Rick Barry
2009: Draft Stephen Curry 7th overall
2015: Win first NBA title in 40 years
2016: Set NBA record with 73 regular season wins
2017: Win NBA championship after adding Kevin Durant
2018: Repeat as NBA champions
2019: Move to new Chase Center arena in San Francisco
2022: Win fourth NBA title in eight seasons
Key Statistics
All-Time Record: 2895-3131 (.480 winning percentage)
Championship History: 7 titles (1947, 1956, 1975, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022)
Hall of Fame Players: 23
Retired Numbers: 6 (Wilt Chamberlain, Al Attles, Chris Mullin, Rick Barry, Nate Thurmond, Bill Russell)
Notable Records: Most wins in a season (73 in 2015-16), Most three-pointers in a season by a team (1,323 in 2021-22)
Today
The Warriors remain one of the NBA's elite teams, though they face new challenges as their core ages and the competition improves. Stephen Curry continues to play at an MVP level well into his 30s, while Klay Thompson has signed with the Dallas Mavericks. Draymond Green remains the team's defensive anchor and emotional leader.
Golden State has integrated young talent such as Jonathan Kuminga and James Wiseman with their veteran stars. While no longer the dominant force of the late 2010s, the Warriors proved in 2022 that they still have championship mettle. As long as Curry is leading the charge, Golden State will remain a feared contender in the Western Conference.
