Rick Barry Era

Lore & Background

Barry sat out the 1967–68 season and signed with the Oakland Oaks of the rival American Basketball Association, playing for them in 1968–69 before returning to the Warriors in 1972. During his absence, the Warriors were no longer title contenders. After his return, the Warriors won the 1975 championship, sweeping the heavily favored Washington Bullets.

In Their Own Story

The roar inside the Oakland Coliseum Arena was deafening, a physical wall of sound vibrating through the hardwood. Rick Barry stood at the free-throw line, the ball spinning in his hands with a rhythm only he understood. The crowd held its breath, not just for the points, but to witness the spectacle of the underhand toss. He bent his knees, released the ball in a perfect, high arc, and watched it swish through the net without ever touching the rim. He didn't smile; he barely glanced at the scoreboard. With a championship on the line against Washington, there was no room for premature celebration. Barry turned to his teammates, eyes locked on the next play, signaling that the work wasn't done. In that suspended moment, he wasn't just a player; he was the entire franchise's hope, carrying the weight of San Francisco and Oakland on his shoulders, ready to dismantle the Bullets' defense one more time.

Reader's Guide

The 1974–75 Warriors finished with a 48–34 record, the best in the Western Conference, and were the No. 1 seed. They defeated the Washington Bullets in a four-game sweep in the Finals.

Did You Know?

• Rick Barry was the first player in franchise history to win Finals MVP, doing so in 1975. Andre Iguodala (2015) and Kevin Durant (2017, 2018) also earned the honor.