If you look back at the golden state roster 2013, you’re not just looking at a list of basketball players. You are looking at the exact moment the tectonic plates of the NBA shifted. Honestly, most people think the Warriors dynasty began in 2015 when they won their first ring, but that’s wrong. It actually started with the 2012-13 and 2013-14 squads.
That was the year Steph Curry’s ankles finally held up.
It was the year Klay Thompson proved he wasn't just a "3-and-D" guy but a legitimate flamethrower. And maybe most importantly, it was the year a chubby second-round pick named Draymond Green started screaming at everyone.
Why the Golden State Roster 2013 Changed Everything
Basketball in 2013 was still dominated by the "Big Three" era in Miami. People thought you needed three superstars and a bunch of veterans on minimum contracts to win. The Warriors did it differently. They built through a draft that front offices still talk about today.
Basically, the 2012 draft brought in Harrison Barnes (7th pick), Festus Ezeli (30th pick), and Draymond Green (35th pick). Mix those kids with a 24-year-old Steph Curry and a 22-year-old Klay Thompson, and you've got the recipe for a revolution.
🔗 Read more: Deebo Samuel Game Log: What the Numbers Actually Tell Us About His "Wideback" Evolution
Steph was making $3.9 million. Think about that.
He was arguably the most underpaid human being on the planet. Because of his previous ankle issues, the Warriors got him on a four-year, $44 million extension that started in 2013. That "cheap" contract is the only reason they had the cap space to sign Andre Iguodala later. Without the golden state roster 2013 being structured exactly this way, the dynasty never happens.
The Real Core Players
- Stephen Curry: He averaged 22.9 points and 6.9 assists in 2012-13. More importantly, he broke Ray Allen's single-season three-point record with 272 makes.
- David Lee: Everyone forgets David Lee. He was the team's first All-Star since Latrell Sprewell in 1997. He put up 18.5 points and 11.2 rebounds a night.
- Klay Thompson: This was Klay’s second year. He was already playing 35 minutes a game and shooting 40% from deep.
- Jarrett Jack: The unsung hero. He was the veteran "stabilizer" who finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
The Mark Jackson Factor
You can't talk about this roster without talking about Mark Jackson. He gets a lot of flak now because Steve Kerr took the same guys to the moon, but Jackson changed the culture. He turned them into a top-five defensive unit.
He'd constantly tell Steph and Klay they were the greatest shooting backcourt in history. Back then, people laughed. They aren't laughing now.
Jackson's rotation was weird, though. He loved his "all-bench" units. He’d put Jarrett Jack, Carl Landry, and a rookie Draymond Green out there and just let them grind. It worked well enough to get them 47 wins and a legendary upset over the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.
Key Stats from the 2012-13 Season
| Player | PPG | RPG | APG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Curry | 22.9 | 4.0 | 6.9 |
| David Lee | 18.5 | 11.2 | 3.5 |
| Klay Thompson | 16.6 | 3.7 | 2.2 |
| Jarrett Jack | 12.9 | 3.1 | 5.6 |
| Carl Landry | 10.8 | 6.0 | 0.8 |
The 2013 Offseason: The Iguodala Move
When 2013 rolled into the summer, the golden state roster 2013 underwent a massive transformation. They lost Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry to free agency. Fans were actually kind of worried. Those guys were the heart of the bench.
But Bob Myers pulled off a masterclass.
He cleared a mountain of salary—trading Andris Biedriņš, Richard Jefferson, and Brandon Rush to Utah—just to sign Andre Iguodala. At the time, Iguodala was an All-Star caliber wing who chose Golden State because he saw what they were building. It was the first time a major free agent chose the Warriors over "glamour" franchises.
This move pushed Harrison Barnes to the bench. It made the team smaller, faster, and much more versatile.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception about the 2013 team is that they were "soft." People saw a bunch of jump shooters and assumed they could be bullied.
Tell that to Andrew Bogut.
Bogut was the defensive anchor. He only played 32 games in the 2012-13 regular season because of his own injury issues, but when he was on the floor, the Warriors were a different animal. He gave them the nastiness they needed. Between him and Draymond Green—who was just a bench spark plug at the time—they had enough grit to survive the Western Conference bloodbath.
The Turning Point: February 27, 2013
If you want to know when the world realized the golden state roster 2013 was special, look at the "Curry at the Garden" game. Steph dropped 54 points on the Knicks in Madison Square Garden. 11 three-pointers.
📖 Related: Hardest Sport to Learn: Why Most People Fail Before They Even Start
He didn't just win; he put on a show.
The Warriors actually lost that game, but it didn't matter. The narrative changed that night. The NBA realized that Steph Curry wasn't just a good player; he was a glitch in the system.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you're looking to understand the legacy of this specific era, focus on these three things:
- Watch the 2013 Spurs Series: The Warriors lost 4-2, but they pushed a peak Tim Duncan/Tony Parker team to the brink. It was the "growing pains" moment.
- Study the 2012 Draft: It is statistically one of the best drafts by a single team in NBA history. Finding three rotation players (including a Hall of Famer in Draymond) is nearly impossible.
- Appreciate the Contrast: Compare the 2013 "Mark Jackson offense" to the 2015 "Steve Kerr offense." You’ll see the same players but vastly different ball movement patterns.
The golden state roster 2013 was the bridge between "the laughing stock of the league" and "the greatest dynasty of the modern era." It wasn't perfect. It was young, often turnover-prone, and relied too much on David Lee's post-ups. But it was the foundation.
Without this specific group of guys—and the chemistry they built in the Oracle Arena locker room—the NBA would look very different today.