“What was gonna get me on the floor for the Warriors was to go bully somebody” – Draymond Green describes the importance of being tenacious on the court, believes college basketball is irrelevant to the NBA
Draymond Green has cemented his position as one of the most crucial players in the Golden State Warriors dynasty. He explained that he did so by bringing his tenacity to the court every night.
Green is known to be the Warriors' vocal leader. Even though he does not score much, his leadership is a big part of why Golden State has enjoyed success in recent years.
On "The Shop," the crew talked about what it means to be a "dawg" and whether it came naturally or was a learned trait. Green said he has always been a "dawg," but reached new levels in that respect to secure his spot in Golden State's team.
The four-time NBA champ also highlighted that his status as the Player of the Year in college was not enough for him to earn his keep. Although it got him in the door, he had to do something different to succeed in the league. Green said:
(From 17:40)
"I've always been a dawg. Growing up in Saginaw (Mich.), I had to be that to get on the court. ... I never had to be the dog that I am today to get back on the court until I got to the NBA. That's what got me on the floor.
"Coming out of college, I was player of the year, all of that. But I quickly realized ain't none of that shit getting me on the floor with this team. ... What was gonna get me on the floor for the Warriors was to go bully somebody, because I realized that's missing here.
He elaborated:
"Nobody here is bullying anybody. Nobody is here speaking up. Nobody is bringing that tenacity to the floor. So, I realized, like, my second day there, they need somebody to bring that dog in. And that will be my way onto the floor."
Both Green and P.J. Tucker, who also made an appearance on "The Shop," admitted that they sometimes get tired of being like that every other night. This was especially the case when they went up against the smaller teams.
Both agreed that they get a lot more hyped during big games. Tucker provided an example, citing his matchup against Kevin Durant in the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Golden State Warriors will be looking to utilize Draymond Green's skills with the hope of defending their title
The Golden State Warriors had an incredible comeback season last campaign, winning the NBA title after missing the playoffs for two years.
Draymond Green is not a high-level scorer, but his contributions are greatly valued. He is the Warriors' defensive anchor and is one of the few players in the league who can guard all five positions. This was on show during their 2022 NBA Finals victory over the Boston Celtics.
Offensively, he makes sure things run as smoothly as possible. He and Steph Curry have excelled in the dribble handoff game for years. Last season, Green led the Warriors in assists, averaging 7.0 dimes per game.
It's worth noting that Draymond Green has taken some time off from the team following his altercation with Jordan Poole in a training session. The Warriors have said the matter will be handled internally so it remains unclear what sentence they will pass.
Draymond Green: "I’m going to take a few days. Or I don’t know how many days. Just take some time to myself. Allow our team to start their healing process. But take some time to myself and get deep in my thoughts. Do things that I have to do to continue to work on me.”
The forward was not part of the team that took on the LA Lakers in a preseason game on Sunday. Although Green has said he would like to play on opening night against the same opponent on Oct. 18, he acknowledged that it wasn't his decision to make.
Click here to watch the latest episode of "The Shop" featuring Draymond Green, PJ Tucker, LeBron James and more.