Former NBA head coach David Fizdale believes the Golden State Warriors have what it takes to reclaim basketball’s biggest prize.

In a recent segment on NBA TV, Fizdale described the Warriors as his “dark horse team to win it,” pointing to the team’s blend of championship experience and newfound grit brought by offseason acquisitions, particularly Jimmy Butler.​

Fizdale applauded Butler’s arrival as a game-changer. The five-time All-Defensive honoree joined the Warriors midway through last season and immediately helped turn a .500 team into a playoff contender.

With Golden State going 23-7 after the trade, Fizdale views Butler as the missing piece, a defensive anchor and vocal leader who complements Steph Curry’s offensive brilliance and Steve Kerr’s tactical system.​

Butler’s Winning Mentality Fuels Belief

Jimmy Butler’s reputation for toughness and accountability is fueling renewed optimism within Golden State. After years of playoff heartbreak in Miami, Butler’s opportunity to play alongside Curry and Draymond Green offers what Fizdale calls “a perfect basketball marriage built on hunger and culture.”

The former coach emphasized that the Warriors’ veteran depth—featuring Butler, Draymond, Al Horford, and Andrew Wiggins—makes them one of the league’s most balanced defensive teams.

Golden State’s mix of veterans and young role players like Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski has already impressed early in the 2025–26 campaign. According to ESPN’s metrics, the Warriors currently rank near the top ten in defensive efficiency, a major improvement from last year’s middling performance.​

Path Back to Championship Glory

While not the outright betting favorites, the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder opened as the odds-on pick, several analysts argue that Golden State still poses one of the league’s biggest postseason threats. Fizdale believes that health will be their deciding factor.

“If they’re healthy at the end, they can beat anybody,” he said confidently.​

Golden State’s title hopes rest, as always, on the shoulders of Curry, now entering his 17th season. Yet with Butler’s fire, Horford’s defensive versatility, and Kerr’s championship blueprint, the Warriors possess the experience and leadership to flip the Western Conference narrative once again.

Bolstered by Fizdale’s veteran insight and growing on-court chemistry, the message around the Bay Area is clear: count the Warriors out at your own risk.