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10 Best Players In Golden State Warriors Franchise History

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10 Best Golden State Warriors Players in Franchise History

10 Best Golden State Warriors Players In Franchise History
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The Golden State Warriors have been making their presence known in the NBA for a long time. Throughout the years, many talented basketball players have scored on their home floor, but these 10 stand out most, based on longevity, production, and accomplishments. Players from the San Francisco Warriors are included, but the likes of Wilt Chamberlain and Tom Gola from the Philadelphia Warriors are not.

10. Sleepy Floyd

10. Sleepy Floyd
Kyle Terada-USA Today Sports

10. Sleepy Floyd

10. Sleepy Floyd
Kyle Terada-USA Today Sports

Sleepy Floyd was always an exceptional scorer at the point guard position, but during his four full seasons with the Golden State Warriors, his passing improved exponentially. His assist averages by each season in chronological order are 3.5, 5.0, 9.1, and 10.3, despite his minutes averages being a relative constant. Floyd made one All-Star team with the Warriors, but their win column was always limited in his era.

9. Monta Ellis

9. Monta Ellis
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9. Monta Ellis

9. Monta Ellis
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Monta Ellis rose to prominence with Golden State at a time when patience was being sucked out of the loyal fan base, and he became the spark of brilliance that captured their hearts—his flashy finishes and volume scoring partly made up for the shortcomings of the team as a whole. This came to a pinnacle when he was dealt to Milwaukee for Andrew Bogut so that Klay Thompson could start, a heavily criticized move that led to the 2015 title.

8. Joe Barry Carroll

8. Joe Barry Carroll
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8. Joe Barry Carroll

8. Joe Barry Carroll
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The perception of Joe "Barely Cares" Carroll as a lazy player was likely intentionally driven by the media, as he declined interviews regularly. Also, he was acquired as a part of a trade that sent Hall of Fame big man Robert Parish to the Celtics, making him a sponge for negative attention in the Warriors fan base. He was actually very effective. In seven seasons with the team, he averaged 20.6 points per game and 8.4 rebounds.

7. Purvis Short

7. Purvis Short
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7. Purvis Short

7. Purvis Short
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Purvis Short probably belongs on the list of the best NBA players to never make an All-Star game, being one of the only 28-point-per-game scorers to ever be snubbed in the post-merger era. He played with the Warriors from the time he was drafted until he was 30, averaging nearly 20 points per game on 47 percent shooting.

6. Jeff Mullins

6. Jeff Mullins
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6. Jeff Mullins

6. Jeff Mullins
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The Duke alum from Queens, New York came to the San Francisco Warriors in the 60s and stayed long enough to win a championship with the newly named team in 1975. He played 10 full years with the franchise and averaged over 20 points a game four times.

5. Tim Hardaway

5. Tim Hardaway
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5. Tim Hardaway

5. Tim Hardaway
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An iconic 90s point guard, Tim Hardaway was known for his ankle-breaking crossover and his all around production. Severe injuries threatened Hardaway's career, but his production bent but didn't break. He played six years with the Golden State Warriors, averaging 19.8 points and 9.3 assists per game during that time. He would go on to have a successful run as a veteran point guard for the Miami Heat, and ended up making five All-Star teams.

4. Nate Thurmond

4. Nate Thurmond
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4. Nate Thurmond

4. Nate Thurmond
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Nate Thurmond was considered one of the best players of his day. He was both a prominent scorer and a monster on the boards, averaging 20 and 20 during his best season. He shot a low percentage for a 6 foot 11 center, but his impact on those Warriors teams is undeniable. He's a Hall of Famer and NBA legend of gigantic proportions.

3. Stephen Curry

3. Stephen Curry
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3. Stephen Curry

3. Stephen Curry
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It's difficult to compare a player headed towards his seventh year to guys who have finished out full careers, but Curry's accomplishments go beyond his freakish stats sheet. He plugged life into a franchise that had been irrelevant too long, keeping fans all around the league in awe at his soft, floating passes and his flashy handles. He also happens to be the greatest three-point shooter to ever grace the league, and it's not even close.

2. Chris Mullin

2. Chris Mullin
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2. Chris Mullin

2. Chris Mullin
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Chris Mullin managed to earn a portion of the spotlight in a league filled with the likes of Michael Jordan, John Stockton, David Robinson and Hakeem Olujawon. He rarely gets talked about now, but Mullin was one of the smartest and most skilled players to ever step on the hardwood. He made five consecutive all star teams from 1988-1993, and in his 13 years with the Warriors he averaged 20 points with 51 percent shooting.

1. Rick Barry

1. Rick Barry
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1. Rick Barry

1. Rick Barry
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Rick Barry's underhand free throws are iconic, and his immortality shines through the cities of San Francisco and Oakland. He eventually led the Warriors to a title in 1975, despite being the only star on the team still in his prime. The Hall of Fame small forward from Roselle Park never missed an All-Star team with the Warriors, averaging 24 points, 5 assists, and 7 rebounds per game. Rick Barry was the player who defined Warriors basketball.

 Drew James is a writer for RantSports. Like him on Facebook. 

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