The Golden State Warriors have found plenty of their talent through the draft, and Villanova has been one of the schools that kept showing up on their board.
Golden State’s connection to the Wildcats stretches across eras, from the early days of the NBA draft to the modern game. Some of those picks turned into long-term pieces, while others were shorter stops. Either way, Villanova has left its mark on the Warriors’ draft history.
Paul Arizin stands out immediately. He was taken in the 1st round with the 3rd pick and 3rd overall in the 1950 NBA Draft as a territorial selection, and he had 14 seasons at Villanova. He’s joined on the list by Leo Wolf, a guard chosen in the 11th round with the 1st pick, 119th overall in the 1950 NBA Draft after three seasons in college, and Brooks Ricca, another guard drafted in the 8th round with the 3rd pick, 87th overall that same year, also after three seasons at Villanova.
The Warriors kept dipping back into Villanova in the early 1950s. Ben Stewart, a guard, went in the 11th round of the 1952 NBA Draft after three seasons with the Wildcats.
Tom Brennan, a forward, was also selected in the 8th round that year after three seasons. Larry Hennessy, a guard, came off the board in the 2nd round with the 1st pick, 10th overall in the 1953 NBA Draft as a territorial selection, after three seasons at Villanova.
More Villanova names followed in the middle of the decade. Jack Devine, a forward, was drafted in the 5th round with the 3rd pick, 35th overall in 1955 after four seasons at Villanova. Bob Schafer, a guard, went in the 3rd round with the 3rd pick, 19th overall in the same 1955 draft, also after four seasons.
Tom Brennan showed up again on the Warriors’ Villanova list, this time as an 8th-round pick with the 5th pick, 61st overall in the 1958 NBA Draft. His seasons at Villanova are listed as unknown.
Joe Ryan, a guard, was taken in the 7th round with the 3rd pick, 51st overall in the 1959 NBA Draft after three seasons. George Raveling, a forward, followed in the 8th round with the 7th pick, 62nd overall in 1960 after three seasons.
Hubie White was selected in the 2nd round with the 7th pick, 16th overall in the 1962 NBA Draft after one season at Villanova. Clarence Smith, a forward, came in much later, going in the 9th round with the 7th pick, 143rd overall in the 1971 NBA Draft after three seasons.
The most recent Villanova name on the list is Eric Paschall. Golden State took the forward in the 2nd round with the 11th pick, 41st overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. He spent three seasons at Villanova and played two seasons with the Warriors.
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