Despite the fact that I just went through the worst fantasy football draft software (with Fox, no less) I've ever seen today, and I'm mad about it, I'm still going ahead with the My List special with team #11 in the countdown, the Warriors. Here's the lineup.
Starters:
PG: Tim Hardaway: Yes, Baron Davis is still fresh in everyone's minds, and people tend to remember Hardaway for his hateful remarks not too long ago. But in Hardaway's prime, he was the spark plug for Don Nelson's famed "Run TMC" offense of the early 1990s. Drafted #14 overall in 1989 (behind such stars as Randy White, Tom Hammonds, Stacey King and Danny Ferry), Hardaway was a starter immediately, and had a solid rookie year with 14.7 PPG and 8.7 APG. Over the next four full seasons he played in GS (he missed the entire 1993-94 season with injuries), he averaged over 20 PPG and had two seasons of a double-double (points & assists) average. He also made the All-Star team three times (1991-93) while in the Bay Area.
SG: Paul Arizin: "Pitching Paul" may not be on the lips of everybody, but he was an early scoring sensation for the Warriors in the 1950s. Chosen as the first pick by the club in 1950 (after being named college POY at Villanova), Arizin led the NBA in scoring in his second season (25.4 PPG), as well as FG%, and also pulled down 11.3 RPG to go with All-Star game MVP honors. After serving in the military for two seasons, Arizin returned and led Philly to the title in his fourth NBA season in 1955-56. He would eventually win another scoring title in 1957 (25.6 PPG), had his best PPG season in 1958-59 (26.4), and would make nine All-Star games before retiring in 1962.
C: Wilt Chamberlain: It goes without saying that most of Chamberlain's greatest individual accomplishments came in a Warrior uniform. The club used a loophole to acquire Chamberlain as a territorial pick in 1959 (while Wilt was with the Harlem Globetrotters); even though Chamberlain went to college at Kansas (and territorial picks came from college location), the Warriors chose him because he went to high school in Philly. However they got him, it was worth it; Chamberlain became the first player to win ROY and league MVP his first year with averages of 37.6 PPG and 27 RPG; only Wes Unseld has won both awards in the same year since. Chamberlain won the scoring title each season with the Warriors (as well as four rebounding titles, and he pulled down an NBA record 55 boards against Boston in 1960), and had the greatest scoring season for an NBA player in 1961-62, as Wilt averaged a staggering 50.4 PPG (a record that will never be broken) and scored 100 points in a game against New York that same year; no one has come closer than 19 points to tying that mark. Chamberlain would lead the Warriors to one NBA Final (losing in 1964 to Boston) before being traded the following year.
SF: Rick Barry: Barry may have rubbed many people the wrong way (Robert Parish called him the most arrogant player I've ever seen), but there was little doubt Barry could play the game well. Chosen 2nd overall in 1965, Barry had the only double-double average of his entire career as a rookie (25.7 PPG, 10.6 RPG) and won the ROY award. The following year, he won the scoring title (35.6 per) and led the Warriors to the Finals (they lost to the 76ers). Barry then had a dispute after bolting to the ABA, and sat out the 1967-68 season, before joining the Oakland Oaks and winning the ABA title in his first season, with Barry winning the ABA scoring title (34 PPG); he's the only player to ever win the NBA, ABA, and NCAA scoring titles. Barry was named an NBA All-Star seven times (he returned to the league in 1972), was All-NBA 1st team five times, and led the Warriors to one of the biggest upsets in NBA history as they swept Washington to win the 1975 NBA title (Barry was Finals MVP).
PF: Jamaal Wilkes: Yes, he isn't a PF. Yes, he was much better known as a Laker. But Wilkes started his career in Golden State, and his body of work gets him the nod here. Drafted #11 overall in 1974, the then-Keith Wilkes won ROY as a Warrior, averaging 14.2 PPG and 8.2 RPG as he helped the team win the 1975 NBA title. Over his three years with the team, Wilkes averaged about 17 PPG and 8 RPG before leaving for L.A. in 1977.
Reserves:
PG: Baron Davis: Though Baron probably won't sing Christmas caroles with Don Nelson, he did help revive Warriors basketball after such a bad stretch earlier this decade. Acquired in a trade with New Orleans in 2005, Davis enjoyed three solid seasons in the Bay, averaging at least 18 PPG all three years, and better than 20 per the last two, and led the Warriors to winning records the last two years before departing for the Clippers. In 2007, he was the major factor in the Warriors springing a major upset with relative ease as they dispatched Dallas to become the first #8 seed to beat a #1 in a best-of-seven series.
SG: Mitch Richmond: To those who may say Richmond (or Latrell Sprewell) should be ahead of Arizin, I say he only played there three years, and is better known as a King. That said, Richmond bursted out of the gate as a rookie, winning ROY in 1989 with averages of 22 PPG and 5.9 RPG. Over his three years in GS, his averages stayed steady in the 22 PPG, 6 RPG range, as the Warriors made the playoffs twice in those three years. Then, they traded him to the Kings for Billy Owens. Oh well, it did let them draft Sprewell lol!
C: Nate Thurmond: Thurmond was a great C of his day, but his teams never could get over the hump. Drafted #3 overall in 1963, Thurmond was actually miscast at PF due to the presence of Wilt Chamberlain, but Thurmond was a good soldier as the Warriors made the Finals in his rookie year (he averaged 7 PPG and 10.4 RPG). When Chamberlain was traded in 1965, Thurmond blossomed after moving back to center, and had the first of 10 straight years of averaging a double-double with the Warriors (he had an 11th with Chicago after being traded there for Clifford Ray in 1974). His best stats year was 1967-68, with averages of 20.5 PPG and 22 RPG. For his career, Thurmond made five All-Star teams, averaged 15 PPG and 15 RPG exactly, and led the Warriors to the 1967 Finals.
SF: Chris Mullin: Mullin was sort of a poor man's version of Larry Bird; he was an exceptional scorer, and had limited athletic skills, but had a great basketball IQ. Drafted #7 overall in 1985, Mullin shook off an injury-shortened rookie season, and began the first of six straight years of scoring 20+ PPG (a high of 26.5 in 1988-89), and made four All-Star teams and was a member of the Dream Team in 1992. Mullin was named All-NBA first team in 1991-92, and after retiring as a Warrior in 2001, he now serves as team president.
PF: Antawn Jamison: Again, I know he isn't a true PF, but he played there frequently as a Warrior, so he makes it. Jamison, acquired in a draft-pick swap with the Raptors for Vince Carter in 1998, became a full-time starter in his second year (which was shortened by injury). He had two seasons of over 20 PPG (a career high 24.9 per in 2000-01), and also had close to 9 RPG twice as a Warrior. Of course, he made both his All-Star teams after joining the Wizards, but that's another story.
Coaches:
Head Coach: Al Attles: No offense to Nellie, but Attles did help the team win the NBA title in 1975, while Nellie hasn't sniffed the Finals, so Attles gets the nod. In Attles' tenure (1970-83, which doesn't include the time he missed in 1979-80 with an injury), Attles led the Warriors to the playoffs six times, and made three conference finals and the aforementioned 1975 titlists. He won 550 games as Warriors coach.
Assistants: Don Nelson, Eddie Gottlieb: Nelson has revived Warriors basketball twice in his career. The first time, he took a team that had missed the playoffs in ten of eleven years and took them to the postseason four times in six full seasons. The second time has seen the Warriors have winning records twice and return to the postseason for the first time in 12 years. But no titles really hurts. Gottlieb won the first ever NBA title (then know as the BAA title) in 1947, and he made the playoffs in six of his nine years as coach (and won 263 games) before becoming team owner in 1955.
Honorable Mentions:
SG: Latrell Sprewell: Probably better all-around than Arizin or Richmond. Now about that choking incident and the "I can't feed my family on $8 million" comment?
PG: Sleepy Floyd: Had a nice run in GS, but who do you take out at PG?
SG: Phil Smith: Made two All-Star teams, but didn't maintain his level of play for very long.
PG: Gus Williams: Better known as a Sonic.
PF: Chris Webber: Better known for his stormy exit that brought on the 12-year playoff drought.
SG: Joe Fulks: First league scoring champ (23.2 per in 1946-47), but did very little else.
C: Neil Johnston: Two time scoring champ, but did it before the shot clock and bigger centers like Russell.
C: Clifford Ray: Solid C, but solid doesn't beat Chamberlain and Thurmond.
That's the Warriors. Tomorrow, team #12 will be the Suns. Until then, may your fantasy drafts not fail you!
Easy call here. Arizin did not play long enough as a Warrior to be in my starting five. But Chris Mullin did, and that's why he's running the show in Golden State right now. Mullin is arguably the greatest player ever to put on a Warriors uniform. The fact that he was a member of the Dream Team says it all.
Therefore, I move Rick Barry to SG and place Mullin at SF.
Now I am pissed lol. This was my second favorite team growing up and had my favorite player and he didnt make the first team, you could of found a way. Mullin really is the face of the franchise for an entire decade and there were three really good players to come through there during that time in Richmond, Hardaway and Mullin. He was one hell of a player.
You shorted Mullin it was actually five time NBA all-star, five seasons in a row over 25 ppg, four x all nba teams 1 first, 2 second, 1 third. Also a memeber of 1984 olympic gold team, I believe the last amature team to win the gold. three time big east player of the year in college. Definately deserves to start.
PF: It's hard to say. You can also make an argument for Isiah Thomas over both Mullin and Drexler. In '92 both Isiah and Clyde had already led their team to the Finals.
I think they chose Mullin over both of those players because the Dream Team needed a three-point specialist much like this year's Olympic team needs long range shooter deluxe Michael Redd off the bench.
PF, there's a glut of SGs, but I guess I can give Sarunas an HM.
Dizzle, good argument, but to be honest, I've had to miscast so many players (and I've had so many arguments about positions; Dennis Rodman, anybody?) that I've tried to keep it as close to actual position as possible. And, truth be told, Arizin played more years with the team than Barry (ten to eight). But still, it's a valid argument.
banme, thanks for the stats aid; I was upset when I did this, plus the lighting in my room needs to improve, I guess lol!
And about the Dream Team argument, yeah, Thomas and Drexler could have been possibly added, but like Dizzle said, maybe Mullin made it for his shot. Thomas was kept off more because Jordan didn't want him there (in my opinion), but Drex had just came off a Finals appearence. Ah, the beauty of politics.
Also, bleed, yes, Parish started with GS (1976-80), and his body of work will get an HM, but he really took off in Boston after his trade there in 1980 (with McHale, in one of the best trades in NBA history).
Downs,
First let me say I'm sorry about how that draft went. I had huge problems myself but got just about all I wanted. Did you set up draft rankings and use the pending list while in the war room?
Now about this list. I can't add much because I don't know much about the Warriors history. However I do remember Mullin and think he should crack the starting lineup. I liked him as a young man growing up but Golden state BB wasn't on T.V. That much when I was younger.
Mullin needs to be on the 1st team. Take Arizin off and add Mullin. You mention scoring. Yet GS had three more scoring champs that did not make the list (and they should be on the list). Off the top of my head; Pervios Short, Benard King, and possibly World. B Free. All of them should be somewhere on the list. Without a doupt Short at forward
HM could also include, Larry Smith PF,
Last edited by REVBIGTIMER on July 19th at 11:45 AM.
I am David Downs, and I'm a sports nut who loves basketball and football and am open to good discussion about any sports subject. I am a Detroit sports fan, but I not a homer. Expect frequent vents on subjects that irritate me, and also expect the utmost respect for anybody's opinion, even if they disagree with me. Because, after all, that's what these blogs are all about, aren't they?
