8 Best undrafted talents to play for the Golden State Warriors
By Tyler Watts
2. John Starks
Most fans remember Starks for his days with the New York Knicks, but he started his NBA career in Golden State. The 6’3 guard played basketball for four different colleges before finally landing at Oklahoma State for his senior year. He averaged 15.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.2 steals in 32.7 minutes per game, but he still went undrafted in 1988.
It was not until October that he landed a deal with the Golden State Warriors, but it lasted just one season. The 23-year-old was unhappy with his playing time as he appeared in just 36 contests and averaged 8.8 minutes each night. Starks was out of the NBA for a full season before landing with the Knicks in 1990.
The 6’3 may not have even made the roster if it wasn’t for a failed attempt at putting superstar Patrick Ewing on a poster. Starks was injured on the play, so the Knicks were forced to keep him. It all worked out as he became an All-Star in 1994 and helped them reach the playoffs for eight straight years.
John Starks is considered by many to be the best undrafted NBA player of the modern era, and he may have never landed with the New York Knicks if he wasn’t for his lone season with the Golden State Warriors.