Established
1946
City
Philadelphia – San Francisco – Oakland - San Francisco
League History
1949 – Present / National Basketball Association
1946 – 1949 / Basketball Association of America
Team History
1971 – Present / Golden State Warriors
1962 – 1971 / San Francisco Warriors
1946 – 1962 / Philadelphia Warriors
Nickname
Warriors – The San Francisco Warriors have been a beloved basketball team since their inception in 1946. The team underwent many changes over the years, including name changes and relocation from Philadelphia to San Francisco in 1962. But one thing that has remained constant is the nickname “Warriors,” which dates back to their original founding.
The name “Warriors” can be traced back to an article by NBA founder Danny Biasone for his newspaper, The National Sports Daily News, in 1947. In this article, he referred to a group of players as "the Warriors" because they were so determined and aggressive on the court - traits associated with warriors throughout history! This was widely accepted by fans at the time, leading them to adopt it as an official nickname for Philadelphia's professional basketball franchise when they joined what would become known as NBA (National Basketball Association).
As time passed, other teams adopted similar names, such as Knicks or Lakers, but none had the same impact or staying power as the Warriors did! When the team relocated west coast city of San Francisco in 1962 new era began not only geographically but also culturally: Bay Area embraced its own identity distinct from any other region or country – something which still holds today! With that came a rebranding effort to solidify this unique regional spirit culminating adoption Golden State moniker 1966-67 season; however, despite the change in the official title, some diehard fans will always refer to them simply as 'San Fran' or affectionately 'Dub Nation.' Despite all these shifts, one thing remains unchanged: fierce determination characterizes every player who ever donned a teal blue jersey playing under a banner iconic logo reading 'We Believe!'
Championship
NBA Championships 0
2018, 2017, 2015, 1975, 1956
Basketball Association of America Championship 0
1947
Arena
2020 - Present / Chase Center
*Oakland*
2006 – 2019 / Oracle Arena
2005 – 2006 / Oakland Arena
1997 – 2005 / The Arena in Oakland
1971 – 1996 / Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena
*San Francisco*
1966 – 1971 / Cow Palace
1964 – 1966 / San Francisco Civic Auditorium & USF War Memorial Gymnasium
1962 – 1964 / Cow Palace
*Philadelphia*
1952 – 1962 / Philadelphia Convention Hall
1946 – 1962 / Philadelphia Arena
Owner
2010 – Present / Peter Guber and Joe Lacob
1995 – 2010 / Chris Cohan
1986 – 1995 / Jim Fitzgerald
1962 – 1986 / Franklin Mieuli
1952 – 1962 / Eddie Gottlieb
1946 – 1952 / Pete Tyrell
- 1962
- 1963
- 1967
- 1971
-
Franklin Mieuli Purchase and Move to SF
In 1962, Franklin Mieuli purchased the majority shares of the team and relocated the franchise to the San Francisco Bay Area, renaming them the San Francisco Warriors. The Warriors played most of their home games at the Cow Palace in Daly City (the facility lies just south of the San Francisco city limits) from 1962 to 1964 and the San ... -
Nate Thurmond Drafted
Nate Thurmond was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors (now known as the Golden State Warriors) in the 1963 NBA draft. As a rookie, he mainly played a supporting role alongside Hall of Fame center Wilt Chamberlain. Thurmond averaged 7 points and 10.4 rebounds in his first NBA season and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1964. After ... -
Rick Barry Leaves for the ABA
Angered by management’s failure to pay him certain incentive bonuses he felt were due him, Rick Barry sat out the 1967 – 1968 season and signed with the Oakland Oaks of the rival American Basketball Association for the following year, but after four seasons in the ABA rejoined the Warriors in 1972. During Barry’s absence, the Warriors were no longer ... -
New Brand Name
The franchise adopted its brand name Golden State Warriors prior to the 1971 – 1972 season, in order to suggest that the team represented the entire state of California. Almost all home games were played in Oakland that season; six were played in San Diego, but none in San Francisco or Daly City. Oakland Arena became the team’s exclusive home ...
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Warriors
The San Francisco Warriors, previously known as the Philadelphia Warriors, are a professional basketball team based in San Francisco, California. The team is part of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and has played since 1946. Founded as the Philadelphia Warriors, they moved to San Francisco in 1962 and changed their name to reflect their new home city.
The Warriors, formerly known as the Philadelphia Warriors, have enjoyed success throughout history, including eight division titles and five NBA championships. During this period, some of the most notable players who wore a Warrior’s jersey included Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry, and Nate Thurmond. In the 1975-76 season, they won an incredible 67 games with Hall of Fame coach Al Attles at the helm leading them to an NBA championship over Julius Erving's Philadelphia 76ers that same year; it was one of only two times that teams from both coasts met for a championship series during this era before expansion teams were added later on in the 1988-89 season when the Miami Heat joined the league along with the Charlotte Hornets.
Today’s version of the team is led by head coach Steve Kerr, who guided them through three consecutive Finals appearances between 2015 - 2018, winning two championships against LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers & Kyrie Irving's Boston Celtics, respectively. They also set numerous regular season records, such as the best start ever going 24–0, which earned Kerr the Coach Of The Year honors at that time. The current roster features All-Stars like Steph Curry & Klay Thompson, along with other talented players like Draymond Green or Andre Iguodala, making up what many consider one of the greatest dynasties ever seen within modern-day basketball history due to its sustained excellence over the past few years. This is something very few franchises can claim to achieve so far!
Sports Fan Products
Retired Number
13 / Wilt Chamberlain
14 / Tom Meschery
16 / Al Attles
17 / Chris Mullin
24 / Rick Barry
42 / Nate Thurmond
*Blue is this team’s history