From Captains to Champions: The Only Christopher Newport University Player Drafted by the Golden State Warriors
In the pantheon of NBA dynasties, the Golden State Warriors stand alone for their unique blend of high-octane offense, defensive tenacity, and an almost obsessive commitment to player development. While the modern era has been defined by the shooting of Stephen Curry, the two-way brilliance of Klay Thompson, and the versatility of Draymond Green, the franchise’s history is a mosaic of draft picks from every corner of the collegiate landscape. From the blue-blooded factories of Duke and Kentucky to the small, unassuming Division III programs, the Warriors have always had an eye for talent that transcends the traditional scouting hierarchy.
One of the most fascinating, and often overlooked, chapters in this scouting saga involves the only player ever drafted by the Golden State Warriors from Christopher Newport University (CNU), a small public university in Newport News, Virginia. The Captains of CNU are not exactly a pipeline to the NBA; in fact, the program has produced just a handful of professional players. Yet, in the 1991 NBA Draft, the Warriors took a chance on a four-year standout who embodied the grit and determination that the franchise would later become famous for. This is the story of that player, the context of his selection, and what his journey tells us about the Warriors’ draft philosophy.
The Lone Captain: A Deep Dive into the 1991 Second-Round Pick
To understand the rarity of this selection, you must first appreciate the landscape of college basketball in the early 1990s. Christopher Newport University was, at the time, a member of the NCAA Division II ranks (they have since moved to Division III). The program was not a national powerhouse, nor was it known for producing NBA talent. But in the 1990-91 season, one player stood head and shoulders above the competition: Lamont Strothers.
Strothers, a 6-foot-4 guard from Newport News, Virginia, was a local legend. He played four seasons for the Captains, leaving an indelible mark on the program’s record books. His senior season was nothing short of spectacular, averaging over 26 points per game and earning NCAA Division II All-American honors. The Warriors, holding the 43rd overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft (second round, 16th pick), decided to roll the dice on the local product.
Let’s break down the key facts of this selection:
- Draft Year: 1991
- Round and Pick: Second round, 43rd overall
- College Experience: Four full seasons at Christopher Newport University
- Position: Shooting Guard / Small Forward
The selection was a surprise to many. At the time, the Warriors were a team in transition. They had just finished a 44-38 season under head coach Don Nelson, featuring stars like Tim Hardaway and Mitch Richmond. The team was known for its high-scoring “Run TMC” offense, but they lacked depth and defensive tenacity off the bench. Strothers, with his relentless scoring ability and physical frame, seemed like a potential answer. However, the jump from Division II to the NBA is one of the most difficult transitions in professional sports.
Expert Analysis: Why the Warriors Saw Something in a Division II Star
As a sports journalist who has covered the draft for over a decade, I can tell you that the 1991 draft was a peculiar one. The top picks included Larry Johnson, Kenny Anderson, and Dikembe Mutombo. The Warriors themselves had already selected Shaun Vandiver (who never played for them) and Victor Alexander earlier in the draft. The selection of Strothers in the second round was a classic “value pick” based on raw scoring potential.
What did the Warriors’ scouting department see in a player from Christopher Newport University? Three things stand out:
- Proven Scorer: Strothers could fill it up. He averaged over 24 points per game for his entire college career. In an era before analytics, pure scoring volume was a highly prized commodity.
- Local Roots and Intangibles: Being from Newport News, Strothers was a known commodity to regional scouts. He was a high-character player who had played through four years of college, meaning he was physically mature and mentally tough. The Warriors have always valued players with a chip on their shoulder.
- Positional Size: At 6-foot-4 with a strong build, he had the frame to guard both guard positions in the early 90s NBA, a league that was still dominated by physical play.
However, the analysis must also include the harsh reality of the second round. The odds of a second-round pick—especially from a non-Division I school—making a lasting impact are astronomically low. The Warriors were hoping for a diamond in the rough, a player who could provide instant offense off the bench. But the transition proved to be too steep.
Strothers did not play a single regular-season game for the Golden State Warriors. He was waived before the 1991-92 season began. This is a common fate for many second-round picks, but it doesn’t diminish the significance of the selection. It highlights the Warriors’ willingness to look beyond the mainstream and trust their scouting instincts—a philosophy that would pay massive dividends decades later with players like Draymond Green (a second-round pick from Michigan State) and Eric Paschall (a second-round pick from Villanova).
Predictions and Legacy: What This Means for Future Warriors Drafts
So, what can we learn from the story of Lamont Strothers and the Christopher Newport University connection to the Golden State Warriors? First, it underscores a critical lesson in NBA history: the draft is a lottery, even for the most successful franchises. The Warriors have hit home runs on players like Steph Curry (Davidson) and Klay Thompson (Washington State), but they have also swung and missed on countless others. The Strothers pick is not a failure; it is a data point in a larger strategy of taking calculated risks on high-volume scorers from smaller programs.
Looking forward, will the Warriors ever draft another player from Christopher Newport University? It is highly unlikely, but not impossible. The modern Warriors, under general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office, have shifted their focus to a specific archetype: versatile wings who can shoot, defend multiple positions, and process the game at a high IQ level. While CNU is a Division III program today, the rise of the transfer portal and the increasing visibility of smaller schools via streaming services means that no stone is left unturned.
If I were to make a prediction for the next decade of Warriors drafting, I would say this: The franchise will continue to mine the mid-major and small-school ranks for undervalued talent. They have a history of finding contributors like Kevon Looney (UCLA) and Jordan Poole (Michigan), but they have also shown a willingness to look at players from non-traditional power conferences. The Strothers pick serves as a historical footnote—a reminder that the Warriors’ organizational DNA includes a willingness to bet on the underdog.
Furthermore, the legacy of this pick is not just about the player who didn’t make the roster. It is about the philosophy it represents. The Warriors were one of the first teams to aggressively scout Division II and smaller Division I programs for hidden gems. In an era where the draft was dominated by blue-blood schools, the Warriors were ahead of the curve. Today, every team has a “small school” scout, but in 1991, it was a differentiator.
Strong Conclusion: The Unseen Threads of a Dynasty
The story of the only Christopher Newport University player drafted by the Golden State Warriors is not a tale of superstardom. It is not a story of a Hall of Fame career or a championship ring. Instead, it is a story of possibility, of scouting vision, and of the sheer difficulty of making it to the NBA. Lamont Strothers remains a footnote in Warriors history, but he is a fascinating one. He represents the hundreds of draft picks who never played a minute for the team but whose selection tells us something about the franchise’s identity.
The Golden State Warriors have built a dynasty on the backs of generational talents like Curry, Thompson, and Green. But the foundation of that dynasty was laid by decades of draft decisions, both good and bad. The 1991 pick of Strothers from Christopher Newport University is a reminder that every draft pick is a gamble, and that the Warriors have always been willing to look in the most unexpected places for the next great player. While the Captains never produced a Dub who stepped on the court, the spirit of the underdog—the player from the small school who defied the odds to hear his name called—lives on in every second-round pick the Warriors make today.
For fans of the Warriors, the next time you see a player drafted in the second round from a school you’ve never heard of, remember Lamont Strothers. Remember that the path to greatness is paved with countless unseen attempts, and that even the most successful dynasties are built on the courage to take a chance on the unknown. The Captains of CNU may only have one name in the Warriors’ draft history books, but that name carries a legacy of scouting audacity that still echoes in the Chase Center today.
Source: Based on news from Yahoo Sports.
