Golden State Warriors: Ranking the 30 best Warriors ever

3. Rick Barry

Stats: 642 GP, 25.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 5.1 APG, 2.3 SPG, 44.9 FG%

Rick Barry began his career with the San Francisco Warriors in the 1965-66 NBA season. As a rookie, Barry averaged a staggering 25.7 points per game. This is the seventh-most points per game ever recorded by a rookie player.

Barry’s scoring ability made him one of the best players in the league. In the eight seasons he played with the Warriors, he had four different seasons of at least 25 points per game. Barry’s best scoring season was his sophomore year when he averaged 35.6 points a night. This made him the NBA’s leading scorer that season.

Barry was also a superb defender. He was excellent at reading plays and coming up with steals. In the 1974-75 season, Barry led the entire league in steals. He likely had more seasons in which he led the league in this category, but the NBA didn’t keep track of steals until his ninth year in the association.

Barry finished as a 12-time All-Star and 11-time All-NBA member. Barry led the Warriors to two championships, winning one Finals MVP award. Rick Barry is the only player in Warriors history to be in the franchise’s top 10 list for points, rebounds, assists and steals.