- Stephen Curry has the most championships out of any player on this list with four
- Wilt Chamberlain has the most scoring titles of any player on this list with six and has the highest scoring average in a season with 50.4 points per game
- Kevin Durant is the only player in Warriors history to win multiple Finals MVP awards
Over the last 76 years, the Golden State Warriors have become one of the most recognizable and successful franchises in NBA history. From their days in Philadelphia to their modern-day home in the Bay Area under the Golden State name, the Warriors organization has been home to some of the biggest names and greatest superstars in NBA history.
Today, the goal is to find out which player is the GOAT of the Golden State Warriors using our most accurate formula. After extensive research, it was determined that Stephen Curry, Wilt Chamberlain, Kevin Durant, and Rick Barry are the four best candidates in line for that title. Just as we did with the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers, the Golden State Warriors are next up in our team-by-team GOAT debates.
When it comes to the Warriors GOAT, much of the younger generation who grew up watching Stephen Curry change the game think he is the GOAT of the franchise. If you ask NBA fans who have been around for a bit longer, they may stake their claim on Wilt Chamberlain. Using our fair and unbiased ranking system, the debate will officially be put to rest today and the true GOAT of the Golden State Warriors will be crowned.
Without any further explanation, it is time to find out who is the GOAT of the Golden State Warriors.
Best Stats
1. Wilt Chamberlain – 41.5 PPG, 25.1 RPG, 3.0 APG (4 Points)
2. Rick Barry – 25.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 5.1 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.5 BPG (3 Points)
3. Kevin Durant – 25.8 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 5.4 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.5 BPG (2 Points)
4. Stephen Curry – 24.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG (1 Point)
There is not a single player in NBA history who has better-looking stats than Wilt Chamberlain with the Warriors from 1960 through 1965. Averaging over 41.0 points per game and over 25.0 rebounds per game on 50.6% shooting from the floor, Chamberlain won the NBA scoring title every season he was a member of the Warriors. He broke the NBA record for points per game in a season with 50.4 in 1962 and recorded a 100-point game during the same season, another untouchable NBA record.
With second-place points up for grabs, Kevin Durant gets the nod over Rick Barry. Barry has the edge over Durant in rebounds and steals while Durant takes advantage in scoring, assists, and blocks. Durant was the more efficient scorer as well, shooting nearly 10.0% higher at 54.6% in a Warriors uniform.
Stephen Curry gets the short end of the stick in this category thanks to longevity with the franchise having an effect on his stats. Curry is still the Warriors’ all-time leading scorer and has won the most championships in franchise history along with Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. I would say he trades those accomplishments any day of the week for an increase in per-game stats.
Most NBA Championships
1. Stephen Curry – 4 NBA Championships (4 Points)
2. Kevin Durant – 2 NBA Championships (3 Points)
3. Rick Barry – 1 NBA Championship (2 Points)
4. Wilt Chamberlain – 0 NBA Championships (1 Point)
Those four NBA championships that Curry shares with his core of teammates give him the win and four points for this category. In those four championship wins, Curry was the catalyst for all of them with his superior and dangerous three-point shooting, movement away from the ball, and the attention he draws allowing Golden State the space it needs to operate. His four championships as a player have helped give him the most major award wins by any player over the last 10 seasons.
In his three seasons with the team from 2017 through 2019, Kevin Durant helped deliver back-to-back NBA championships to the Warriors in 2017 and 2019. Had it not been for an Achilles injury to Durant in 2019, it very well could have ended up as just the fourth three-peat since the 1960s. Rick Barry also returned from the ABA in the early 1970s and helped Golden State win a championship in 1975.
Despite all of his statistical dominance, Wilt Chamberlain could never get the Warriors their shot at an NBA championship. It wouldn’t be until 1967 with the Sixers that Chamberlain would taste championship glory for the first time.
Most MVP Awards
1. Stephen Curry – 2 MVP Awards (4 Points)
2. Wilt Chamberlain – 1 MVP Award (3 Points)
T3. Kevin Durant – 0 MVP Awards (2 Points)
T3. Rick Barry – 0 MVP Awards (2 Points)
Stephen Curry is not only the Golden State Warriors player with the most championships on this list but he is also the player who was named MVP the most times as well. Curry won back-to-back MVP awards in 2015 and 2015 leading the Warriors to a championship in 2015 and an NBA-record 73 wins in 2016. In 2016, his MVP award win was the only unanimous MVP in NBA history as he averaged 30.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game.
Wilt Chamberlain was surprisingly only named MVP once as a member of the Warriors in his six dominant seasons with the team. Chamberlain took home the award as a rookie averaging 37.6 points and 27.0 rebounds per game. He would not win another MVP award until 1966 when he had moved on to the Sixers later in his career.
As for Durant and Barry, they were never able to win MVP awards while members of the Warriors in their careers. They did, however, both take home awards that arguably hold more value than any other award in NBA history.
Most Finals MVP Awards
1. Kevin Durant – 2 Finals MVP Awards (4 Points)
T2. Stephen Curry – 1 Finals MVP Award (3 Points)
T2. Rick Barry – 1 Finals MVP Award (3 Points)
4. Wilt Chamberlain – 0 Finals MVP Awards – (1 Point)
In their time together as teammates, Kevin Durant gained the upper hand in one category at least in the Warriors GOAT conversation. Durant took home Finals MVP awards in both 2017 and 2018 in wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers, giving Durant the most Finals MVP awards in franchise history. Durant’s performances in those two Finals were so dominant, that the Warriors went 8-1 in nine games between the two series.
Stephen Curry would finally get the proverbial monkey off his back in the Warriors’ most recent championship win in 2022. Curry led the Warriors to their fourth title since 2015 against the Boston Celtics. Curry took home Finals MVP honors with 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. Rick Barry would earn his Finals MVP award in a dominant performance in the 1975 Finals. In that series, the Warriors swept the Bullets 4-0 behind Barry’s 29.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 3.5 steals per game.
Most Defensive Player Of The Year Awards
T1. Wilt Chamberlain – 0 Defensive Player Of The Year Awards (0 Points)
T1. Stephen Curry – 0 Defensive Player Of The Year Awards (0 Points)
T1. Kevin Durant – 0 Defensive Player Of The Year Awards (0 Points)
T1. Rick Barry – 0 Defensive Player Of The Year Awards (0 Points)
While only one of these players can be considered an elite defender during their era, none of these four Warriors greats were ever named Defensive Player of the Year. Chamberlain is the only player here to ever be named to an All-Defensive Team in their career but that would come much later when he was with the Lakers. If the All-Defensive teams had existed during Wilt’s reign with the Warriors, he would be the undisputed leader of this category.
Most All-NBA Team Selections
1. Stephen Curry – 9 All-NBA Team Selections (4 Points)
T2. Rick Barry – 6 All-NBA Team Selections (3 Points)
T2. Wilt Chamberlain – 6 All-NBA Team Selections (3 Points)
4. Kevin Durant – 3 All-NBA Team Selections (1 Point)
Longevity with the franchise does help in many regards with our formula as well and this is a case of one here. Stephen Curry has earned nine All-NBA Team selections in 14 seasons with the team with four of them being to the First Team, four to the Second Team, and one to the Third Team.
Rick Barry and Wilt Chamberlain take home second-place points with six All-NBA Team selections apiece. Chamberlain earned four First Team selections of his six with two Second Team selections. Barry, on the other hand, earned five First Team selections and one Second Team selection, giving him the most First Team selections on our list. Kevin Durant earned one First Team selection in 2018 and two Second Team selections in 2017 and 2019.
Most All-Defensive Team Selections
T1. Wilt Chamberlain – 0 All-Defensive Team Selections (0 Points)
T1. Stephen Curry – 0 All-Defensive Team Selections (0 Points)
T1. Kevin Durant – 0 All-Defensive Team Selections (0 Points)
T1. Rick Barry – 0 All-Defensive Team Selections (0 Points)
The category for Most All-Defensive Team selections is another one that is a wash among the GOATs of the Golden State Warriors. Only Chamberlain would ever make an All-Defensive team at any point in his career although both Durant and Barry certainly are underrated in that regard. Curry is a former NBA steals champion which usually calls for an All-Defensive Team selection but his actual on-ball defense was too weak to ignore.
Most All-Star Selections
1. Stephen Curry – 9 All-Star Selections (4 Points)
2. Rick Barry – 8 All-Star Selections (3 Points)
3. Wilt Chamberlain – 6 All-Star Selections (2 Points)
4. Kevin Durant – 3 All-Star Selections (1 Point)
When it comes to the most All-Star selections in Warriors history, Stephen Curry narrowly takes the four points for first place. Curry has earned all nine of his All-Star selections in the last 10 seasons with the lone exception being the 2020 season in which he missed 77 games. Rick Barry falls in just behind Curry with eight All-Star selections in eight seasons with the Warriors overall. Barry was named All-Star Game MVP in 1967 while Curry won the award in 2022.
Wilt Chamberlain and Kevin Durant were also named All-Stars every season they spent as members of the Warriors, it is just their time was short. Wilt Chamberlain made six All-Star teams in six seasons with an All-Star Game MVP to his name. Durant played for the Warriors for three seasons from 2017 through 2019 and was an All-Star for all of them. He added an All-Star Game MVP as a member of the Warriors as well in 2019.
Total Win Shares
1. Stephen Curry – 128.0 Win Shares (4 Points)
2. Wilt Chamberlain – 112.4 Win Shares (3 Points)
3. Rick Barry – 85.9 Win Shares (2 Points)
4. Kevin Durant (33.9 Win Shares (1 Point)
The fact that this is so close considering Stephen Curry played eight more seasons with the Warriors than Wilt Chamberlain, is amazing. Curry has accumulated the most win shares in Warriors history with 128.0. Curry led the NBA in win shares on time during his unanimous MVP season in 2016. Chamberlain led the NBA five out of six seasons he spent with the team with four seasons with more win shares than Curry’s best season. Longevity once again gives Curry the win in this category.
As for Rick Barry and Kevin Durant, they were productive in their short time with the team as well. In eight seasons with the Warriors, Rick Barry had five seasons with more than 10.0 win shares. Kevin Durant had a 10.4 win-share total in all three seasons he spent with the Warriors and he led the NBA in win-shares per 48 minutes in 2017 as the Warriors won 67 games and the NBA championship.
PER
1. Wilt Chamberlain – 30.3 PER (4 Points)
2. Kevin Durant – 25.8 PER (3 Points)
3. Stephen Curry – 23.8 PER (2 Points)
4. Rick Barry – 21.1 PER (1 Point)
We finish off this accurate formula with each of these Warriors legends’ player efficiency ratings. Wilt Chamberlain takes the category with an astounding PER over 30.0. Chamberlain’s PER led the NBA in five out of his six seasons with the team with three seasons coming in with a PER over 30.0. In second place is Kevin Durant’s 25.8 PER he earned in three years with the Warriors. His PER exceeded 26.0 twice during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Stephen Curry and Rick Barry bring up the rear which is of no true testament to their impact on the franchise. We have never seen a player shoot the ball as voluminously and efficiently as Curry who has led the NBA in PER before in 2016. Curry has one season with a PER over 30.0 and four seasons that exceed 25.0. Rick Barry never had a season with the Warriors exceeding 25.0 nor did he lead the NBA in PER. He was consistent though and still put forth eight seasons above 20.0.
Who Is The Greatest Player In Golden State Warriors History?
1. Stephen Curry – 26 Points (5 Categories Won)
2. Wilt Chamberlain – 21 Points (2 Categories Won)
3. Rick Barry – 19 Points (0 Categories Won)
4. Kevin Durant – 17 Points (1 Category Won)
The results are in and the GOAT of the Golden State Warriors is unanimous, just like one of his two MVP awards. That’s right, Stephen Curry is the GOAT of the Warriors by a comfortable margin which is exactly the way it should be. With the most championships, MVP awards, win shares, All-Star, and All-NBA team selections, the conversation can be put to rest once and for all.
This isn’t to say that Wilt Chamberlain doesn’t have a case. His statistics are worth the conversation alone. However, a lack of an NBA championship and the playoff success that comes with it makes it extremely difficult to say it’s even close anymore. With our formula, the most interesting point that was revealed is more Finals MVPs and championships, Kevin Durant does not stack up to Rick Barry in our formula. Barry, clearly a Warriors legend, takes the third spot from Durant by two points.
What stood out to you about these findings?
