Bay Area Relocation

Lore & Background

The Warriors won the inaugural Basketball Association of America (BAA) championship in 1947, and won again in 1956, led by Hall of Fame trio Paul Arizin, Tom Gola, and Neil Johnston. After the trade of star Wilt Chamberlain in January 1965, the team finished the 1964–65 season with the NBA's worst record (17–63). Their rebuilding period was brief, however, as they drafted Rick Barry four months after the trade. Barry powered the Warriors to their third championship in 1975, widely considered one of the biggest upsets in NBA history.

The team struggled in the 1980s, then became playoff regulars in the late 1980s with stars Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin, nicknamed 'Run TMC'. Led by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, the team returned to championship glory in 2015. In 2016, the Warriors achieved the best-ever regular-season record at 73–9 before losing the Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games after surrendering a 3–1 series lead. After signing former MVP Kevin Durant, the team won back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018.

They lost the 2019 Finals to the Toronto Raptors and Durant left that off-season. After missing the playoffs the next two seasons, the Warriors returned to the playoffs and defeated the Boston Celtics in the 2022 Finals.

Reader's Guide

Nicknamed the 'Dubs' as a shortening of 'W's', the Warriors hold several NBA records: best regular season, most wins in a season (regular season and postseason combined), and best postseason run. Curry and Thompson are generally considered one of the greatest backcourts of all time. The Warriors rank third for the most NBA championships and Finals appearances in NBA history, trailing only the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. Chamberlain and Curry are the only players in franchise history to win the league MVP award, for a total of three awards.

From Philadelphia to the Bay: A Geographic and Identity Shift

The franchise began as the Philadelphia Warriors in 1946, owned by Peter A. Tyrrell, who named the team after a defunct American Basketball League squad from 1925 known for its connection to the Philadelphia Sphas. After winning the inaugural BAA championship in 1947 and the NBA title in 1956, the team faced expansion pressures. In 1962, Franklin Mieuli purchased majority shares and relocated the franchise to the San Francisco Bay Area, renaming them the San Francisco Warriors. This move coincided with the trade of star Wilt Chamberlain in January 1965, which left the team with an NBA-worst record of 17–63 that season. The name changed to Golden State Warriors before the 1971–72 season to suggest representation of the entire state of California, moving away from a single-city identity.

The Wilt Chamberlain Phenomenon and Early Bay Area Struggles

Wilt Chamberlain was drafted by the team in 1959 and led them in scoring six times. His most famous moment occurred on March 2, 1962, when he scored 100 points against the New York Knicks in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a neutral-site "home" game. Despite his brilliance, the franchise struggled after trading him to the Philadelphia 76ers for Connie Dierking, Lee Shaffer, Paul Neumann, and $150,000. The team finished the 1964–65 season with only 17 wins. However, the rebuilding period was short; they drafted Rick Barry four months after the trade. This move set the foundation for future success, even as Chamberlain's departure marked the end of a specific era of dominance.

The Rise of Run TMC and the Modern Dynasty

Following struggles in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the team found consistency with stars Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin, known as "Run TMC." While they won only one playoff series together, they established the franchise as a playoff regular. Decades later, led by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, the Warriors returned to championship glory in 2015. In 2016, they achieved the best-ever regular-season record at 73–9 but lost the Finals to Cleveland after surrendering a 3–1 lead. With Kevin Durant joining the roster, they won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. After losing the 2019 Finals and missing the playoffs for two seasons, they defeated the Boston Celtics in the 2022 Finals.

Historical Legacy and Franchise Records

The Warriors hold several NBA records, including the best regular-season record (73–9), most wins in a season combining regular and postseason play, and the best postseason run. They rank third for the most championships and Finals appearances, behind only the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. Wilt Chamberlain and Stephen Curry are the only players in franchise history to win the league MVP award, totaling three awards between them. The team is nicknamed "Dubs," a shortening of "W's." Curry and Thompson are widely considered one of the greatest backcourts of all time.