Golden State Warriors: Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history

4. Nate Thurmond (PF/C) — No. 3 pick in 1963 NBA Draft

Career stats (as a Warrior):  757 GP, 17.4 PPG, 16.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.7 STL, 2.9 BLK, 42.5 FG%, 67.6 FT%

No. 4 on our list is one of the first great big men not just in Warriors history, but in NBA history, Nate Thurmond.

The man who was known as the “Chairman of the Boards” made seven All-Star teams during his time in the Bay, along with two All-Defensive First Teams and three All-Defensive Second Teams.

If you look up Warriors franchise records, you’ll see that Thurmond still owns the one for most rebounds in Golden State history at 12,771. No one else is within 2,000 boards of that mark, which is unfathomable to consider.

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Moreover, had blocks been recorded as a stat over the first 10 years he was in the NBA, he almost certainly would own the record for those as well. I mean, rejections weren’t counted until 1973-74 when Thurmond was already 32, and he still averaged 2.1 a night for his career.

It’s surprising to note that the legendary center made zero All-NBA teams throughout his playing days, but that has a logical explanation.

Per Bill Simmons’ roundball epic, The Book of Basketball, Thurmond had the misfortune of peaking during a time when the NBA had other Hall-of-Famers like Bill Russell, Wills Reed, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the guy coming up at No. 2 on our list dominating nightly as well.

Thus, unfortunately, Thurmond has been glossed over historically, regardless of how amazing he was. Damn shame and a mistake, but one that we, as educated basketball chronologists, won’t make. Right? Right.