A typical NBA season is a brutal, 82-game slog followed by a relentless postseason where the games just keep on coming until one team reaches 16 wins. Getting through all that is one thing; succeeding in such demanding conditions is a whole other matter.
However, for the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors, their journey to the top was anything but typical.
Led by then-first-time head coach Steve Kerr and superstar point guard Steph Curry, the Warriors set the tone right from the start of the season. With Steph and Klay Thompson’s shooting, Andrew Bogut‘s rim protection, Draymond Green’s playmaking and Andre Iguodala’s all-around brilliance, the Dubs proved to everyone they were for real.
However, what set them apart from other teams was their chemistry and camaraderie on and off the court. Bogut revealed that this team dynamic was key to their success, showing that while most NBA players kept to themselves on the road, the Warriors loved being around one another, which translated onto the court in their unselfish play.
A beautiful group to be a part of
Bogut, a 7-footer who hails from Australia, shared that while other teams forced the dynamic of chemistry and cohesion, theirs developed organically. Most importantly, it came from a complete understanding that each individual on the team had their own unique strengths, weaknesses, and quirks — and they all respected that.
“Good chemistry is understanding the differences among us,” Bogs said. “Some people have family life. Some are single and ready to mingle. Some are out in the streets. Some like to play Xbox or PlayStation. Some guys politically are here and some are over there.”
Bogut, a 14-year NBA veteran, even disclosed how he and small forward Harrison Barnes debated on a lot of things. However, those conversations weren’t heated but genuine.
“We had open debate, discussion, not to a point where we hate each other. It would just be civil, adult discussions, which is what we need in the world today. And most of the squad was like that,” Andrew added. “We understood that everyone’s different, but on the court, we’re together, and we enjoyed the time together. We spent a lot of time on the road together, restaurants and whatnot. It was a beautiful, beautiful group to be a part of.”
Having everyone on the same page was half the battle
The NBA season is long and arduous and opportunities for friction are frequent. That’s why having a cohesive team dynamic is crucial to success. And for the Warriors, it was evident that they had built a strong bond off the court as well as on it.
The best part of it was that neither Kerr nor the team’s front office required them to do so; it came naturally. It was simply a group of individuals who genuinely enjoyed spending time together.
“It was nothing that was coach-driven or management-driven. Most trips, there would be about eight or nine or 10 guys coming to dinner. We already kind of had a good group that enjoyed being around each other, had a good laugh, that bulls—t, that goofed off. And I think that’s important,” Bogut explained. “A lot of teams, 85-90 percent of teams, don’t have that. We had that, and it just was special. And I think that actually helped the winning more than the winning part of that process, if that makes sense.”
The Warriors dominated the regular season with 67 wins but faced significant challenges in the playoffs, trailing in both the Western Conference semifinals and the NBA Finals. Yet, rather than unraveling under pressure, they relied on their greatest strength: unity. In the end, it was their skill and camaraderie that carried them to championship glory.