When we look back at the Golden State Warriors dynasty, we usually talk about the "Hamptons Five" or Steve Kerr’s ball-movement wizardry. People mention the Splash Brothers and Kevin Durant. But honestly, if you really followed that 2017-18 season, there’s one guy who stands out as the ultimate chaotic good for that locker room: Golden State Warriors Nick Young.
Most fans remember him as "Swaggy P," the guy who once celebrated a three-pointer before it actually went in. It didn't. He missed. But that kind of irrational confidence was exactly why Bob Myers and the Warriors front office handed him a $5.2 million, one-year contract in July 2017. They didn't just need a shooter; they needed a personality that couldn't be crushed by the weight of "championship or bust" expectations.
The Night Swaggy P Outshined the Stars
It didn't take long for the investment to look like a stroke of genius. On opening night against the Houston Rockets, the Warriors lost by a point, but Nick Young went absolutely nuclear. He came off the bench and dropped 23 points, shooting 6-of-7 from beyond the arc.
Think about that.
On a team with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, it was Nick Young who looked like the best shooter on the floor for 26 minutes. He wasn't just "filling a role." He was playing with a level of freedom that basically defined his entire career.
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Kerr knew what he was doing. He didn't try to turn Nick into a defensive stopper or a disciplined playmaker. He just told him to go out there and be Swaggy. It worked because the Warriors' system relies on gravity. When defenses were busy chasing Curry and Durant around, Nick Young was often left standing in the corner with enough space to park a truck. He finished the regular season averaging 7.3 points per game across 80 appearances, which sounds modest until you realize he was doing that in just 17 minutes a night.
Why Golden State Warriors Nick Young Actually Mattered in the Playoffs
A lot of people think Nick Young just "rode the bus" to a ring. That’s kinda disrespectful to what he did in the Western Conference Finals against Houston.
That 2018 Rockets series was a dogfight. It was ugly. It was physical. There were moments when the Warriors’ bench looked thin, and the Rockets’ switch-everything defense was stifling the stars.
Kerr actually started Nick Young in two playoff games that year.
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While his scoring numbers in the postseason weren't eye-popping—averaging just 2.6 points—his presence was a tactical necessity. He provided a body that could stay "thick" on defense (as some fans joked on Reddit) against James Harden and Chris Paul. He stayed in front of guys. He didn't gamble as much as he used to in his Lakers days.
There was this one specific three-pointer he hit in the third quarter of Game 7 against Houston. It wasn't the game-winner, but it was one of those "momentum-stopper" shots that kept the Warriors within striking distance during a period where they looked like they might collapse. Without that shot, maybe the Rockets win that game. Maybe the dynasty ends a year early.
The Locker Room Effect: More Than Just Threes
You can't talk about Nick Young without talking about the vibes. Draymond Green has mentioned on multiple occasions how Young’s energy kept things light during a season that felt like a long, grueling march toward an inevitable title.
The Warriors were under immense pressure. They were the "villains" of the league. Nick Young didn't care about any of that. He was there to enjoy the ride, wear designer clothes to the arena, and fire away from the wing.
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When the Warriors finally swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals, the image of Nick Young celebrating—eventually becoming "Swag Champ"—became iconic. He waited 11 years for that moment. He had played for the Wizards during the Gilbert Arenas "gun in the locker room" era and survived the rebuilding years of the Lakers. For him, the Warriors were a reward for a career spent in the basketball wilderness.
What We Get Wrong About His Tenure
- The "Lazy" Myth: People think he didn't play defense. While he was never Kawhi Leonard, his defensive rating with the Warriors was actually respectable because he bought into the team's switching scheme.
- The "Just a Meme" Factor: Calling him a meme ignores that he shot 37.7% from deep that season. That’s elite efficiency for a bench spark plug.
- The "Short Stay" Irrelevance: Just because he only played one season doesn't mean it wasn't impactful. He filled the "Mo Speights/Ian Clark" scoring void perfectly.
Life After the Ring
After the 2018 championship, things moved fast. The Warriors didn't re-sign him, opting for different bench configurations. He had a cup of coffee with the Denver Nuggets, appearing in only four games before being waived.
Basically, the Golden State Warriors were the peak and the sunset of his NBA career. He went out on top. When he finally received his championship ring at Oracle Arena in April 2019, the ceremony actually caused a "delay of game" warning because he was enjoying the moment so much. Draymond Green was laughing. Steph was cheering. It was the most "Nick Young" way to say goodbye to the game.
Today, he’s more of a media personality and a participant in celebrity boxing matches, but his 2018 run remains a masterclass in how a "high-variance" player can thrive in the right culture.
Next Steps for Fans and Analysts
- Watch the Game 7 2018 WCF Highlights: Pay close attention to the defensive rotations. Look for how Nick Young stayed home on shooters and didn't allow the Rockets to exploit him as much as people predicted.
- Review the 2017-18 Bench Stats: Compare Young's per-36-minute scoring to other Warriors reserves like Patrick McCaw or Omri Casspi. You'll see why his "irrational confidence" was a statistical necessity.
- Evaluate the "Swaggy P" Impact on Team Chemistry: Search for Draymond Green's interviews regarding the 2018 season. He often cites the need for "fun" players to offset the stress of the Durant-era Warriors.