Golden State Warriors: Top 20 Draft Picks in History
By Ryan Viera
18. Guy Rodgers
Most people reading this will have never watched a single second of Guy Rodgers live, and if someone claims to have seen him, they are either lying or your grandfather.
While many Warriors fans have just heard the name, Guy was a staple of the Warriors organization during it’s formative years in Philadelphia. Rodgers was drafted by the Warriors in 1958 with a territorial pick which allowed teams to select college players from their area, so fans of certain teams could keep rooting for local players.
Rodgers played with the Dubs for 8 seasons and moved with the team to San Francisco in 1962. The point guard averaged 12.8 points, 8.3 assists, and 5.1 rebounds during his time with the Warriors and made three of his four All-Star appearances with the organization.
A franchise transitioning from one city to the next can be a difficult period of time. Having a steady presence to make that transition easier is key. Rodgers did a lot for this franchise and there’s a reason that many elder Golden State fans hold him in high regard.
It’s important to pay respect to those who came before and Rodgers was one of those guys. Long before the likes of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and others were getting All-Star nods, Rodgers was in the spotlight for Golden State.