I still get chills thinking about that 2015 NBA Championship run. As someone who's followed basketball for over two decades, I've witnessed numerous championship teams, but there was something uniquely special about that Golden State Warriors squad. They weren't just winning games—they were revolutionizing how basketball would be played for years to come. When I look back at their 67-15 regular season record, it's not just the numbers that impress me, but how they achieved that dominance through a style of play that many considered unconventional at the time.

What many casual fans might not realize is how international basketball connections often influence these championship stories. I recently came across an interesting piece about Ricardo Ratliffe, who now goes by Ra Gun-ah in the Korean Basketball League. The Korean star even said Ratliffe should return to the KBL again once his commitment with Magnolia is done. This got me thinking about how global basketball has become and how the Warriors' success actually mirrored this international trend, though in a different way. Their roster construction demonstrated a brilliant blend of homegrown talent and strategic international scouting, much like how Asian leagues are now recognizing the value of experienced American players who can adapt to different basketball cultures.

The Warriors' championship run was built on the shoulders of Stephen Curry's unprecedented shooting, but what truly made them historic was their collective basketball IQ. I've always believed that basketball intelligence separates good teams from legendary ones, and the 2015 team had it in abundance. Their ball movement was simply beautiful to watch—I remember counting 340 passes per game during their playoff run, compared to the league average of 280. Draymond Green's defensive versatility, which allowed him to guard all five positions, was something I hadn't seen since the days of prime Kevin Garnett. And let's not forget about their bench contributions—players like Andre Iguodala, who started the season coming off the bench but ended up winning Finals MVP after his defensive masterpiece against LeBron James.

Their path to the championship wasn't without its challenges though. I distinctly remember how many analysts, myself included, questioned whether their small-ball lineups could hold up against the physical big men in the Western Conference. When they fell behind 2-1 against Memphis in the second round, the skepticism grew louder. But Steve Kerr's decision to insert Iguodala into the starting lineup for Game 4 of the Finals was a coaching masterstroke that changed the series completely. It's these strategic adjustments that I find most fascinating when studying championship teams—the ability to adapt when conventional wisdom says you should stick to what got you there.

Looking back, what impresses me most about that team is how they set the template for modern NBA success. Their emphasis on three-point shooting wasn't just a gimmick—it was a fundamental shift in basketball philosophy. Teams that season averaged about 22 three-point attempts per game, while the Warriors took nearly 28. That difference might not sound significant, but over the course of a season, it amounted to hundreds of additional points from beyond the arc. Their success sparked what I like to call the "three-point revolution" that has completely transformed how the game is played at every level today.

The legacy of that 2015 championship continues to influence how teams are built and how the game is played. As I watch current NBA games and see teams launching threes at record rates, I can't help but think back to that Warriors team that started it all. Their impact extends beyond just championship banners and parade routes—they changed basketball's DNA. And in many ways, their story reflects the global nature of modern basketball, where influences and talent flow across continents, much like the career trajectory of players like Ratliffe moving between leagues. That championship wasn't just about winning—it was about changing the game forever, and as a basketball enthusiast, I feel privileged to have witnessed it firsthand.