Golden State Warriors: The rise of Draymond Green
By Tony Pesta
In a matter of five years, Draymond Green has gone from unmentioned role player to one of the NBA’s premier defensive players.
Draymond Green wasn’t always one of the league’s most hated members. In fact, many people didn’t even know who Green was when he first entered the league. He was highly overlooked and written off as nothing but a role player to most. For his first two seasons, he started in only 13 games and played an average of 17.8 minutes per game.
However, Green would prove that he has a skill-set that is extremely valuable in today’s NBA. It wouldn’t take long for the Golden State Warriors to realize what Green was capable of. In many ways, Green was the key to unlocking the Warriors’ full potential.
It is unlikely that the Dubs would be experiencing the amount of success they have felt in the past few seasons without Green. His impact on the team is profound. He has often been considered the engine to the Warriors’ drive.
So, how did Green go from bench player to three-time All-Star? Furthermore, how did this underdog turn into the NBA’s supervillain? Green’s story and come-up is rarely discussed. Today, we will look back at the process that made him the player he is today.