As the Golden State Warriors season is officially over, it’s time to focus on the NBA draft. For the first time since 2002, the Warriors will have the opportunity to make a selection in the top-five picks.
With the draft season just getting underway, Warriors Wire is digging back through Golden State’s up and down draft history.
After finishing 20-62 in 1987-88, the Warriors had the No. 5 overall selection in the 1988 draft. Long before the Golden State Warriors built the Splash Brothers duo, the Bay Area franchise was laying the foundation for a different memorable trio.
June 28, 1988
The Los Angeles Clippers kicked off the 1988 draft selecting Danny Manning out of Kansas with the first overall pick. Fast forward four picks, and the Golden State Warriors were on the clock. Don Nelson landed Mitch Richmond out of Kansas State at No. 5.
In his final season with the Wildcats, Richmond averaged 22.6 points on 51.4% from the field with 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. In the 1988 NCAA Tournament, Richmond helped lead Lon Krueger’s Kansas State squad to the Elite Eight.
Watch the first 10 picks of the 1988 NBA Draft via YouTube:
In his rookie season alongside Chris Mullin, the Golden State rookie helped lead the Warriors to the Western Conference playoffs. Before getting eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in the second round, the Warriors swept the Utah Jazz in the opening series of the playoffs.
During his first NBA campaign, Richmond averaged 22 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. One year later in the draft, the Warriors would add Tim Hardaway out of UTEP to form the storied group known as Run TMC.
Other notable players from the 1988 draft class included Kentucky’s Rex Chapman, Central Michigan’s Dan Majerle, DePaul’s Rod Strickland and the future championship coach of the Golden State Warriors. In the second round, the Phoenix Suns selected Steve Kerr out of Arizona with the No. 50 pick.
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