Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is a lot of things. He’s an NBA Champion, an Olympic Gold Medalist and also a NBA All-Star. But with the good that comes with Green, the bad also comes with it and since the end of the Warriors magical 73-9 season, Green has put that on full display.
He was suspended during the NBA Finals after accumulating too many flagrant foul points which included multiple kicks to opponents groins. Then after the Warriors blew a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals to the Cavs, Green added to his summer of headaches when he was charged with assault back home in Michigan. Then he followed that up with an x-rated snapchat snafu which led to his Team USA teammates clowing him during practice.
But Green has moved on from the troubles of his past and despite some around the Warriors believing that he could be the reason they fail, Green notes he might the one of the top reasons they succeed. The do-it-all big man had a deep look into his value in the league and proclaimed he is one of the best players in the NBA. And he made a pretty strong case in his defense.
Draymond Green talked about his role among the NBA’s elite to Chris B Haynes of ESPN.
But Green explained to ESPN that scoring isn’t about being sacrificial on this squad; it’s about being smart.
“I do turn down some shots, but I think that’s just basketball knowledge,” Green said to ESPN. “If I’m open and KD’s open, if you’re smart, you throw the ball to KD and let him shoot it. If I’m open and Steph’s open, if you have any type of sense, you throw the ball to him and let him shoot it. If I’m open and Klay is open, if you have any brainpower, you’ll throw the ball to him and let him shoot it. So that’s just the way I play the game of basketball.”
Green says too often, in many eyes, the value of a player is predicated on how many points he puts up from game to game. He said he was proud that his all-around skill set was awarded his first All-Star berth last season, despite his not having a scoring average near 20 points. He said such recognition would allow for broader assessments on players’ value. But he wanted to make one thing abundantly clear: Don’t confuse Green’s willingness to defer to others in the scoring department as a sign of inferiority.
“I think I’m one of the best players in the NBA,” Green said to ESPN. “Am I going to go out and score 30 every night? Absolutely not. But I didn’t say I was one of the best scorers. I think I’m one of the best players, and I think anybody should believe that. I think if you don’t believe that, you’re failing yourself, and you’re not allowing yourself to be that … But I don’t say that in a sense of, ‘Oh, I’m one of the best. I’m better than Steph, I’m better than KD.’ Like, that isn’t me. When I just look at the game, that’s how I feel.
“But the things that I do are more self-gratifying than anything. I don’t do something to say, ‘Man, I wonder if they saw that screen I just set. I wonder if they saw what I just did to help him get that bucket.’ I don’t do that, but I’ll run down the court feeling amazing about it. That’s just kind of how I am.”
