After a long layoff, the NBA is approaching its awaited return to action. However, the Golden State Warriors are one of eight teams who won’t be Orlando bound. With their season officially over, the next thing on Golden State’s calendar is the NBA draft.
For the first time since 2002, the Warriors will have the opportunity to make a selection in the top five. With October’s draft still months away, Warriors Wire is rewinding through Golden State’s history to find the most memorable draft day selections — trades, surprises, busts, sleepers and everything in between.
After finishing with a 17-65 record in 2001, the Golden State Warriors owned two picks in the first 17 selections. Following adding a pair of proven college products in the first round, the Warriors finished their draft finding another eventual starter in the second round.
July 27, 2001
With the first overall selection in the 2001 Draft, the Washington Wizards started with Kwame Brown out of Glynn Academy in Georgia. To round out the top-five, the Golden State Warriors selected Jason Richardson out of Michigan State. Later in the first round, the Warriors grabbed Notre Dame’s Troy Murphy at No. 17.
General Manager Gary St. Jean and the Warriors were on the clock again near the start of the second round. With their third selection of the 2001 draft, the Warriors landed Gilbert Arenas out of the University of Arizona.
As a sophomore, Arenas started 33 games, averaging 16.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game. In his final season at Arizona, Arenas shot 41.6% from beyond the arc on 4.6 attempts per game.
Alongside Richard Jefferson and Luke Walton, Arenas helped lead Lute Olson’s Wildcats to a National Championship appearance in the 2001 NCAA Tournament. Arizona dropped the final game to Duke, 82-72.
Watch highlights from Arenas at Arizona via YouTube:
During his rookie campaign, Arenas started 30 games, averaging 10.9 points on 45.3% from the field with 3.7 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. Although the addition of Golden State’s trio of impressive rookies helped, Golden State’s win total only changed by four games. In his second season with the Warriors, Arenas earned the NBA’s Most Improved Player honor, averaging 18.3 points and 6.3 assists per game.
Watch highlights from the Arizona product’s Most Improved season via YouTube:
After two seasons in Golden State, Arenas signed with the Washington Wizards, where he went on to become a three-time All-Star.
Along with “Agent Zero,” Richardson, Jefferson and Murphy, other notable selections from the 2001 draft class included Tyson Chandler, Spain’s Paul Gasol, Duke’s Shane Battier, Arkansas’ Joe Johnson, Michigan State’s Zach Randolph and France’s Tony Parker.
