Top 25 Golden State Warriors in franchise history

22. Joe Fulks

We’re going pretty far back in the history book for this one, guys. But Joe Fulks was just as important to the Warriors franchise as any other player. He was also a fantastic player during his time.

Fulks played eight seasons for the Philadelphia Warriors from 1946-54. He stayed with one team throughout his whole career, but he just happened to play for two leagues. His first three seasons were with the Basketball Association of America. Then the BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the NBA in 1949.

The Warriors won the first ever BAA championship. He led the league in scoring during it’s inaugural season, averaging 23.2 points per game. He then led the team to a national title.

He dominated in the BAA. He averaged 23.9 points per game and won a championship. While he was a two-time All-Star in the NBA, his play did drop off. His NBA-high would be 18.7 points per game in 1950-51.

He was known as one of the game’s best offensive players. He scored a league-record 63 points in one game in 1949. Elgin Baylor would break it ten years later.

Fulks isn’t a name that most people would have heard of. But the 6’5 power forward was an important figure in the history of professional basketball. His career and abilities, in context, should be appreciated. He was a pioneer of the game of basketball.

Next: No. 21