Golden State Warriors · Franchise era 1 of 6
Philadelphia champions and Wilt: the Golden State Warriors story
Franchise era
1946–47—1961–62
Philadelphia champions and Wilt
Golden State Warriors
The story in one sentence
The Philadelphia Warriors won the inaugural BAA title and later introduced the league to Chamberlain's unmatched statistical force.
From the first BAA title to 100 points
Joe Fulks, Paul Arizin and Wilt Chamberlain gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for the bay and the 1975 surprise.
Timeline
How it unfolded
The foundation
The franchise context
The Warriors connect the league's earliest champions to Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry, Run TMC and the Curry-led shooting revolution that reshaped modern basketball.
1947
NBA Finals: Philadelphia Warriors vs Chicago Stags
1948
NBA Finals: Philadelphia Warriors vs Baltimore Bullets
1956
NBA Finals: Philadelphia Warriors vs Fort Wayne Pistons
After 1961–62
What came next
After moving west, the Warriors reached two Finals and swept Washington for an unexpected 1975 championship.
The core