Founded in 1946, the Golden State Warriors are one of the NBA’s marquee franchises. They won two titles in Philadelphia before moving to The Bay in 1962. Many consider them to be the best Golden State Warriors team in history.

Led by Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and head coach Steve Kerr, the Dubs formed a dynasty in the second half of the 2010s and the start of the 2020s, taking them to a tally of seven titles in franchise history, further cementing their place among the best Golden State Warriors squads.

Seven numbers have been retired by the Warriors so far. Several more will follow in the coming years.

Who are the greatest Warriors players ever? Many believe the best Golden State Warriors players have earned their accolades over decades.

1.    Steph Curry

No one could’ve foreseen Steph Curry’s career unfolding like this when he was drafted seventh overall as an undersized guard in 2009.

Curry battled ankle issues at the start of his career. Golden State handed the team to him when they traded away Monta Ellis, with Curry ending the Dubs’ playoff drought in 2012-13.

Steve Kerr replaced Mark Jackson in the 2014 offseason. Having finished sixth in MVP voting in the prior campaign, Kerr unleashed a new level to Curry’s game, with back-to-back MVP wins, and the first of five consecutive Finals appearances.

After that run, Curry overcame further injuries and kept playing at an elite level as the Warriors retooled around him. He played some of the best basketball of his life to take the Dubs to the 2022 title (and his fourth), which was followed by his 10^th All-NBA selection in 2023-24. This period solidified him among the best Golden State Warriors.

2.    Draymond Green

Draymond Green averages 8.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game for his career. Those aren’t the numbers we would usually associate with the second-greatest player in franchise history.

Green is also a four-time champion, four-time All-Star, and former Defensive Player of the Year (an award he could, perhaps should, have won multiple times).

None the Warriors’ dynasty happens without Green. Yes, maybe it extends longer without him, too, but his ability to play undersized at the five enabled the Warriors to become the Warriors. On offense, he has utilized his sharp playmaking and screening to be impactful without ever being a reliable scorer.

3.    Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain was Rookie of the Year and MVP in his first season. He led the league in scoring and minutes in all five of his full seasons as a Warrior and led the Association in rebounding on four occasions. This included his frankly outrageous 1961-62 season when he averaged over 50 points per game.

The Big Dipper is second only to Curry in total points, despite ranking 10^th in minutes. While team success wasn’t there during Chamberlain’s time as a Warrior, his individual numbers and accolades guaranteed he made the top three in these rankings. It is the greatest start to a career in NBA history.

4.    Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant might never be loved quite like Curry, Green, and Thompson in Oakland and San Francisco. His decision to sign with the Dubs in 2016 might be an inescapable part of his legacy.

There is, though, no denying the impact Durant had. Golden State was unstoppable once he joined. He’s the franchise leader in points per 36 minutes and won titles and two Finals MVP in three seasons as a Warrior.

If he’d been healthy, there’s a good chance it would have been three titles and three Finals MVPs. The Slim Reaper’s relationship with Warriors fans and the franchise has been complicated since he left, but his place in the annals of Dubs history is unmoveable.

5.    Chris Mullin

Chris Mullin is as fondly remembered as any Warrior. He’s third all-time in games played and fifth in total points for the franchise. Mullin peaked in the late 1980s and early 1990s, leading the Warriors to five playoff appearances in eight seasons.

After that spell, the Dubs didn’t reach the postseason for 12 seasons. Mullin’s injury troubles and decline were partly responsible for the start of that drought.

It’s hard to compare Mullin’s combination of huge counting stats and mediocre team success with players from the dynasty years, but fifth feels about right for a four-time All-NBA player.

6.    Klay Thompson

Fourth in games played and sixth in points, Klay Thompson’s placing was the most difficult. Thompson was integral as Curry’s Splash Brother. His defense at his peak helped the Warriors play at an elite level at both ends.

Thompson wasn’t an individual star like the five players below him (or most below him), however. He was only a five-time All-Star and two-time Third Team All-NBA selection.

Klay could easily have been pushed into the top three. His Game 6 heroics in 2016 will forever be remembered in The Bay, and his number will be going into the rafters at Chase Center when he retires as one of the best Golden State Warriors players of all time.

7.    Paul Arizin

Curry and Chamberlain are the only Warriors with more win shares than Paul Arizin. Arizin, a two-time scoring champion and 10-time All-Star, would have even more impressive numbers if he didn’t miss two years of his peak for military service.

Pitchin’ Paul led the playoffs in scoring in the Dubs’ run to the title in 1956. He was runner-up to Bob Pettit for 1955-56 MVP before finishing third to Bob Cousy and Pettit in the following season.

8.    Neil Johnston

Neil Johnston led the Warriors in win shares in six straight years in the 1950s. Johnston played all eight of his NBA seasons with the Philadelphia Warriors, clocking six All-Star selections and five All-NBA nods.

The 6’8 center played 10 games and led the playoffs in rebounding when the Dubs won the title in 1956. He was also a three-time regular-season scoring champion.

9.    Andre Iguodala

The fifth and final member of the Hamptons Five slots in ninth in these rankings. Andre Iguodala averaged 5.5 field-goal attempts per game as a Warrior and only made 124 starts across the regular season and playoffs.

Iggy’s arrival was the beginning of Golden State’s period of dominance in the 2010s, though, and his importance cannot be overstated. He was named Finals MVP in 2015 – the first of his four rings – and featured in perhaps the most unbeatable lineup in NBA history.

10.   Rick Barry

Named Finals MVP in 1975, Rick Barry would be higher on this list if he hadn’t left the Warriors to play in the ABA for his age-24 to age-27 seasons. Barry started his career with the Dubs, winning Rookie of the Year and recording two of his six All-NBA nods.

He was named First Team All-NBA on three more occasions and twice finished fourth in regular season MVP voting. A 12-time All-Star across the ABA and NBA, Barry led the NBA in scoring in his second year in the league and averaged 25.6 points per game during his time as a Warrior.