19. Tom Gola
Nicknamed “Mr. All-Around,” Tom Gola did everything for the Philadelphia and San Francisco Warriors. He played seven seasons for the franchise from 1955-62. Playing with great players, Gola elevated his game to match them.
Goal averaged just 13.8 points per game during his seven years as a Warrior, but he also averaged 8 rebounds and 4.2 assists which, for a shooting guard, is fantastic. The team had a bunch of scorers. His was there to do everything else. He was a great defender during his career.
He was an All-Star four years in a row and an All-NBA Second Team member (oddly enough, in a year that he wasn’t an All-Star). He helped the Warriors win the championship in 1956. He retired in 1959 after suffering a knee injury for a brief moment. But he returned to the team and helped them make a run at another championship until they ran into the powerhouse Boston Celtics.
His play and willingness to sacrifice made him one of the most important players during a special time of Warriors basketball. He is one of two Warriors to record three consecutive triple-doubles.
Gola’s desire to do whatever the team needed him for in order to win–including playing through an injury–makes him one of the greatest Warriors ever.