Golden State Warriors: Ranking the 30 best Warriors ever
By Tony Pesta
17. Joe Barry Carroll
Stats: 491 GP, 20.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 48.8 FG%
Joe Barry Carroll was the first overall pick of the 1980 NBA Draft. Coming in with high expectations, he lived up to the hype, scoring 18.9 points and grabbing 9.3 rebounds a game in his rookie year. This is the fifth-most points per game by any rookie to ever play for the Golden State Warriors. No surprise, he was selected to the All-Rookie First Team.
Carroll slowly improved each season. In his third year, Carroll scored a career-high 241. points per game on 51.3 percent shooting from the field. In addition to his offensive contributions, Carroll chipped in 8.7 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.4 steals a game. This makes Carroll one of the best all-around players to ever play for the Dubs.
In the 1986-87 season, Carroll was selected to his first and only All-Star game. Later that year in the playoffs, he averaged 18.9 points per game as the Warriors lost in the conference semifinals.
Carroll finished his career in the top three on Golden State’s all-time offensive and defensive rebounding list. He also placed second on the Warriors’ all-time blocks list.