Golden State Warriors: Ranking the 30 best Warriors ever
By Tony Pesta
22. Tom Gola
Stats: 421 GP, 13.4 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 4.8 APG, 42.8 FG%
Tom Gola was a jack of all trades. Despite playing the shooting guard position, he was a beast on the glass. While playing for the Warriors, Gola had three different seasons in which he averaged 10+ rebounds. In the 1958-59 season, Gola finished in the top 10 for both assists and rebounds per game.
Gola had a very successful NBA career. In his rookie season, he helped lead the Philadelphia Warriors to the 1956 NBA Finals. Gola averaged 13.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game as the Warriors won the series in five games. This was the second championship in franchise history.
Gola appeared in three All-Star games during his time with the Warriors. He was also selected to the 1957-58 All-NBA Second Team. His contributions to the league would go on to earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame.