The Warriors’ Jersey Legacy: From No. 20 to the Team’s Storied Past
If you’ve been a Golden State Warriors fan for a while—or even if you’ve just started following them during their dynasty years—you’ve probably noticed something fascinating: over the course of their history, this team has seen more than 600 players take the court, each rocking one of over 60 different jersey numbers. That’s more than just a trivia tidbit—it’s a reflection of a franchise that’s been around the block, through cities, eras, and generations of basketball.
A Journey Through Time
Before Steph Curry’s threes and Klay Thompson’s smooth jumpers, the Warriors were already a basketball institution. Founded in 1946, the team actually predates the NBA itself, starting out in the Basketball Association of America (BAA)—a league that eventually merged with the National Basketball League to become the NBA we know today.
The franchise’s passport is well-stamped. They’ve called Philadelphia home in the beginning, shifted to San Francisco, made a long pit stop in Oakland, and even had a stint in San Diego. Each city added its own flavor to the team’s culture, fanbase, and identity.
Why Jersey Numbers Matter
Jersey numbers might seem like a small thing, but in sports, they carry stories, traditions, and sometimes even superstitions. A number can be a player’s signature, a reminder of their personal journey, or a link in the chain of the team’s history. Over the Warriors’ 75+ years, each number has been worn by different personalities—some legends, some role players, all leaving their mark.
This deep dive starts with one particular number: No. 20. And the first of the 29 Warriors to wear it? That would be a guard you might remember from the ‘90s—Jon Barry.
Jon Barry: The First in the No. 20 Club
If Jon Barry’s name rings a bell, you might know him now as an NBA analyst, but back in the day, he was carving out his role as a scrappy, high-IQ guard. After wrapping up a solid college career at Georgia Tech, Barry was drafted 21st overall in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics. Sounds straightforward, right? Not exactly.
Barry decided not to sign with Boston—a move you don’t see every day in the NBA. Instead, the Celtics traded his rights to the Milwaukee Bucks, where he spent his first three seasons as a pro.
By 1995, Barry was ready for a new chapter, and that’s when he signed with the Golden State Warriors. It was a short-lived run—just one season—but enough to etch his name in the team’s jersey archives. Wearing No. 20 for the Dubs, Barry put up 3.8 points and 1.3 assists per game. The numbers don’t tell the whole story, though. Barry brought energy off the bench, ball-handling stability, and a basketball IQ that coaches loved.
A One-Year Stint, But a Place in History
In today’s NBA, where superstars stay in the spotlight year after year, it’s easy to overlook guys who played a single season with a team. But those players are part of the DNA of a franchise. Barry’s time in Golden State might have been brief, but it linked the Warriors of the mid-’90s to the evolving league around them—a time when the NBA was transitioning from the Magic-Bird-Jordan era to the global entertainment powerhouse it is today.
After his Warriors chapter, Barry moved on to the Atlanta Hawks in 1996, continuing his journeyman career. His story reminds us that basketball history isn’t just made by the MVPs—it’s shaped by every player who’s ever worn the jersey, even for a season.
The Bigger Picture: Over 75 Years of Change
When you think about it, the Warriors’ jersey history is almost like a time capsule. Every number has been worn in different eras, under different coaches, in different arenas, and sometimes in different cities altogether.
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1940s–50s: The early Philadelphia years, when the league was just finding its footing.
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1960s–70s: The San Francisco era, with stars like Rick Barry (yes, Jon Barry’s dad) making headlines.
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1975: The magical year the Warriors shocked the basketball world and won the NBA title.
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1990s: The Run TMC years gave way to rebuilding phases. Players like Jon Barry came and went as the team searched for stability.
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2010s–Present: The dynasty era—multiple championships, a move back to San Francisco’s Chase Center, and a brand that’s now global.
Why Warriors Wire is Digging Into This
Covering jersey numbers might seem like a niche project, but it’s a way to honor the players who often get forgotten in the highlight reels. By revisiting each number, from 00 to 99, Warriors Wire is essentially building a living scrapbook for the franchise’s history.
And let’s be real—fans love this stuff. Whether you remember these players from watching them live, collecting their trading cards, or just reading about them, it’s a fun way to connect past and present.
Fun Fact for the Stat Nerds
All of the numbers and player histories in this deep dive are backed by Basketball Reference, the go-to source for hoops stats. So when we say Jon Barry averaged 3.8 points with the Warriors, that’s straight from the record books. And yes, there have been 29 different players to wear the No. 20 for Golden State—it’s one of those numbers that’s passed around a lot, almost like a rite of passage.
The No. 20 Legacy Continues
Since Barry’s single-season stint, plenty of other Warriors have worn No. 20. Some stayed longer, some were gone in a flash. That’s the beauty of team history—it’s a revolving door of talent, each player leaving their own small stamp.
From 1946 to today, the Warriors’ journey is about more than just championships and star players. It’s about the full roster of individuals—legends, role players, journeymen, and even one-season guys like Jon Barry—who’ve kept the franchise alive and evolving.
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