Today, the Golden State Warriors are an enigma. Why does its name represent an entire state? Who are the “Warriors” called? Have you ever won an NBA championship? Like other NBA teams, the Warriors have a story worth telling.

Where did the name “Warriors” originate? The NBA team inherited its name from a former ABL team, the Philadelphia Warriors.

The Warriors made their NBA debut during the 1962-1963 season, although their previous name was the San Francisco Warriors. His team featured Wilt Chamberlain, arguably one of the greatest NBA players of all time. However, the Warriors watched the playoffs from home, after a disappointing 31-49 season. Interestingly, the Cow Palace was the home stadium of the Warriors.

Surprisingly, the Warriors achieved tremendous success in just their second NBA season in San Francisco. Thanks to a strong seven-player rotation, the Warriors finished first in their West Division, posting a 48-32 record. The Warriors outlived the St. Louis Hawks, after struggling in a seven-game playoff series. However, the Boston Celtics then crushed the Warriors in five games, for the sixth straight NBA championship of the first.

Just three seasons later, during 1966-1967, the San Francisco Warriors had another stellar season. They finished with a 44-37 record. The Warriors quickly fired the Los Angeles Lakers with three straight wins, and then it took six games to get rid of the St. Louis Hawks again. Wilt Chamberlain played in the NBA Finals that season, but to the dismay of the Warriors, he started for the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers proved to be the superior team, defeating the Warriors 4-2 in the NBA Finals.

The Warriors moved from San Francisco to Oakland, prior to the 1971-1972 season. The team hoped to attract a larger fan base, thus alternating its name with the “Golden State” Warriors. Since 1968, California’s nickname had been “The Golden State.” This was due to the monumental 1848 gold discovery in California.

Just three seasons after moving to Oakland, the Golden State Warriors took gold. The team made some bold moves before the 1974-1975 season, which paid off. The franchise built its squad around Rick Barry, who had made the team aspiring to the NBA championship. With a 48-34 record, the Warriors won the Pacific Division crown.

In the playoffs, the Warriors played with determination. It took six games to eliminate the Seattle Supersonics. Then, after falling 2-0 in their series against the Chicago Bulls, the Warriors struggled to win the series 4-3. Although the NBA Finals games against the Washington Bullets were tight (two games were 1 point apart), the Warriors swept the Bullets in the series 4-0.

Although they lack the broad following of other NBA teams, the Golden State Warriors have remained a solid team throughout their history, making three trips to the NBA Championship Series. Use Golden State Warriors merchandise to cheer on the Warriors as they continue to fight their way back to the NBA Finals!