The Golden State Warriors have been one of the most successful teams in the NBA over the past 20 years and have assembled a dynasty that won four championships between the 2014-15 and 2021-22 seasons. That’s not to say that the Warriors’ only run of prosperity came recently. The Warriors also had some great stretches early in their history. In this article, we will detail the three times in which a Golden State Warrior has taken home NBA MVP honors.
Stephen Curry – 2 times (2015, 2016)
Curry won back-to-back MVP awards in the early years of the Warriors’ dynasty, and his performance in the 2014-15 season was one for the ages. The star guard, arguably considered one of the best shooters to ever play in the NBA, averaged 23.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game en route to winning the first MVP award of his career.
‘Chef Curry’ also shot 44.3 percent from three-point range during that season, and he played a fundamental role in the Warriors’ championship run with his elite ability from beyond the arc. This 2014-15 season was one of six straight in which Curry finished in the Top 10 in the MVP voting, and he capped it off with the NBA title after defeating the Cavaliers in the finals.
Curry outdid himself the next year, averaging 30.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 2.1 steals per contest while lifting the Warriors to a 73-9 record in the regular season –the best-ever mark in the history of the league. Curry also became the first player in NBA history to win a unanimous MVP award, a feat no other player in the league has achieved. He couldn’t cap that historical season with a title, though. Despite the individual and collective accolades, the Warriors lost in the 2016 NBA Finals 4-3 against the Cavaliers, led by LeBron James.
Wilt Chamberlain – 1959-60 season
Chamberlain was the first player to win an MVP award in the history of the Warriors organization, and he did it in his first year in the league. The big man took the NBA by storm in the 1959-60 campaign and finished with averages of 37.6 points, 27.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
It’s safe to say this was arguably the most successful rookie season in the history of the league, as he was also named to the All-Star Game and the All-NBA First Team while earning Rookie of the Year honors aside from the MVP. Wes Unseld is the only other player in NBA history to take home Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in the same season. Overall, Chamberlain played six years with the Warriors and finished in the Top 5 of the MVP voting five times while with the club.
