Watch: "Let's not let it just be a day" - Draymond Green sends out a strong message to keep Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy alive
The United States celebrated Martin Luther King Day on 17 January and Draymond Green paid his tributes in front of the Golden State Warriors fans at Chase Center.
The Defensive Player of the Year candidate is currently rehabilitating from a spinal injury and is reportedly out for the next few weeks. He spoke to the crowd before the game against the Detroit Pistons and shared a message about Dr. King's legacy.
Draymond Green said:
"On behalf of myself, my teammates, the Warriors organisation and the entire NBA, I want to say thank you for keeping Dr. King's legacy alive. I think it's more important today than ever preaching equality and the things that we need to do together to continue to bring everyone together so let's not just let it be a day, let's practice that every single day."
"Let's not let it just be a day."
@Money23Green with a pregame message on the importance of keeping Dr. King's legacy alive year-round. https://t.co/cestOgAinN
The Golden State Warriors did not have a game on MLK Day, so the team addressed and celebrated it on January 18. They shared a video with their players and coaches talking about Dr. King and how his legacy shaped the world we live in today. Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights activist who was the primary spokesperson for the American Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and '60s.
The Warriors won the game against the Pistons 102-86 and even had a 34-point lead at one point in the game. The Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, dropped a combined 39 points in the win. They shot a collective 12-of-24 (50%) from the field and 7-of-16 (43%) from beyond the arc.
The Splash Brothers are starting to look like the Splash Brothers again 👀 https://t.co/gzBHcYkNqN
Andrew Wiggins chipped in with 19 points of his own on 8-of-13 shooting from the floor. The team didn't miss Draymond Green because it was a home game against the Detroit Pistons, the 30th-ranked offense in the league. However, fans cannot wait for the Splash Brothers to reunite with their pick-and-roll partner.
Green's continued absence will certainly be detrimental to the Warriors. He is not guaranteed to return in the next three weeks and will be re-evaluated. An MRI revealed that the calf injury he was dealing with has been linked to a spinal injury and he is recovering from an L5-S1 Disc Injury.
We are yet to see the trio of Draymond Green, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on the floor together. In Green's absence, the team needs to execute the "next man up" mentality in order to win their next few tough matchups or else they risk falling down the standings.
Stephen Curry joins Draymond Green in paying tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., calls him a "beacon of hope"
Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry has been quite vocal about social justice and African American rights. In a short video shared by the franchise, Curry's words stood out above everyone else. He called Dr. King a "beacon of hope" while acknowledging that there is a lot of work left to be done for equality and civil rights in the country.
"MLK is a beacon of hope in terms of how he lived his life and what he stood for", said Curry. "We obviously understand there's a lot of work left to do but we can always go back to the work of Dr. King and any of his word that will keep us motivated and inspired. And have hope that we are moving in the right direction no matter how long that process may take."
The Warriors will next be seen in action against the Indiana Pacers on January 20.