NBA: Draymond Green is the underrated Warrior
Born on 4 March 1990, Draymond Jamal Green Sr. is one of the most versatile players in the NBA today, he plays for the Golden State Warriors at the power forward position. Green grew up in Saginaw, Michigan and attended the Saginaw High School and later he went on to play college basketball for Michigan State.
The 6ft 7in “Dancing Bear” was the 35th overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft. He signed a three-year, $2.6 million contract with the Golden State Warriors and started his journey in the Bay Area.
The Warriors' success started in the 2014-15 season when coach Steve Kerr walked in and made Green a regular starter, which is something that isn´t talked about in basketball media. Gren is also considered as a polarising figure among the NBA fan base for his antics and energetic display on the court.
The Warriors boast an incredible lineup of superstars like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, collectively known as the Splash Brothers. And the arrival of Kevin Durant from the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016 has made them even a stronger firepower than they already were.
When you have a lot of stars on your team, its easier to forget about a player like Green and makes it tough to capture the spotlight, still he plays the role of a silent warrior and helps his team using his versatility and does whatever the situation needs, plus he is their best defender on court at any stage of a match.
Green won his first NBA championship with the warriors in the 2014-15 season, after he started playing more minutes. He was included in the All-Star and All-NBA Team the following two seasons.
In March 2016 made history by becoming the first player in NBA history to record 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists, 100 steals and 100 blocks in a season. Despite the Warrior's failure in the 2016 NBA finals, they came back stronger the following year.
Through his impressive defensive performances, Green won NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 after finishing runner-up in 2015-16. He was the first Warrior player to win the award and won his second NBA Championship with the team, proving his worth.
The Warriors won their second straight title in 2018 and the third in four years, with Green still as the glue.
The list of his achievements is exceptionally long and his contributions to the team is priceless, he deserves the spotlight just like any other superstar on his team. Currently, he has played just 13 games this season due to injuries and a one-game suspension following his altercation with his teammate Durant.
In the 13 games he played in this season, the three-time All-Star averaged 7 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists on 44 percent shooting. The Warriors' record in the 13 games he played in was 10 and 3, while their record in the 12 games he's missed is at 6 and 6.
Green is skilled, physically gifted and has incredible knowledge about the game, his defensive abilities along with his playmaking has made him one of the most important players for his team.
Draymond Green is the true definition of a Warrior.