Warriors Fans: Appreciate Draymond While You Can
There are players in this league that we must be constantly reminded of to continue to appreciate while they're still playing– guys like Steph, LeBron, and KD. For Warriors fans, we understand how much we need to appreciate Steph and even Klay. So here's your reminder that you also need to appreciate Draymond Green while we still can.
We know Steph, Klay, and Dray are all on the latter end of their careers even after this fourth championship win. We saw what it was like without Klay for two years. We saw what it was like without Curry during the 2020 season– it was strange.
It was the same case for Draymond when he was out for two months with his back injury. We had every reason to be ecstatic about the Splash Brothers being back together on the court. However, without Draymond, it still didn't feel like the Warriors. At least we knew we were going to get Dray back at some point.
One day, we won't be getting him back on the court cause he’s retired– that day will hurt both as a Warriors fan and a basketball fan.
I don't want to focus on his stats in this piece. That's not what this piece is about at all. I can go on about his plus-minus, his unusual triple-doubles that he's put together, and his stats besides points. Still, there's a more profound appreciation I want to bring up for Draymond.
Before I even get into the sentimental side of things, I want to remind Warriors fans that we were lucky to have Draymond back for the playoffs this year. A back injury, specifically a back injury involving disc issues, can sideline a player for a long time. Sometimes it can be a career-altering issue.
We got Draymond back in two months with no relapses after the injury– we are LUCKY.
And since we got him back in time for the playoffs, that’s one of the biggest reasons why Golden State won the title this year.
I don't care how bad he played during almost all of the finals. Do the Warriors win their fourth title in eight years without Draymond, let alone make it to the finals? No.
If you disagree, then argue with your mama because you cannot convince me otherwise. Suppose you can't tell by now either; this will be more of an opinion piece instead of a journalistic style piece. To me, an opinion piece is the best way to voice why we need to appreciate Draymond. I'm keeping this real, just like Green would on his podcast.
We know his career averages are not what you would expect from someone considered a future hall-of-famer. But to have a player like Draymond make as much impact on the game as he does without these high averages is rare.
There's a reason that the Warriors franchise considers him the team's heartbeat– he is the epitome of a winner. He can care less about what stats he puts up, and no one does the dirty work more to win a game in the league than Draymond.
His passion and energy sets the tone for the Warriors night in and night out. We saw it clearly in Game 2 of the finals when he jammed Al Horford at the top of the key on the first possession of the game and then continued with non-stop talking the entire game. The Warriors won by 19 by the way. That in itself proves my point.
Who else in the league plays with the heart that Draymond plays with? Just ask yourself that. There's no other Draymond Green in the NBA. There's a reason people always say he's the player you hate to play against but would love to have on your team. No one in the league matches that description better than Dray.
We know the type of energy he brings, and it's what Draymond is best known for. What I feel like is an under-appreciated part of his game, however, is his IQ. There's more in the game that he does than what a typical basketball fan would know he does.
It includes being the primary facilitator on both sides of the floor for Golden State. Honestly, how many players in the league can you think of that have that same role? O the top of my head, I can't think of any.
His basketball IQ is o the charts even as dumb of passes or things Draymond may sometimes do. To have an IQ like that on both sides of the floor is pretty damn impressive.
He knows on offense where guys will get open before the players themselves do, and he can read defenses just as well as any point guard in the league.
On defense, we know how special Green is. He's one of the best defenders the league has ever seen.
He's the primary defender of the opposing team's best player in almost every game or series. That in itself is a role that most players would hate to have assigned to them. Draymond invites it with open arms.
He knows in scramble situations where the extra help needs to come. In the NBA, help-side defense can practically be non-existent. Still, you rarely see Draymond out of position in help situations. He constantly sniffs out the right time for a trap or a switch. And most importantly, on defense, he's the loudest on the court.
If this were a video or a broadcast, I could better paint the picture of what I'm talking about and break it down much easier. Still, you get the gist of what I'm saying regarding his effect on both sides of the ball.
I know the points I made above will likely slip by people, and they may still think that Draymond Green is still not that guy. To keep it frank, most of those people are ones that I probably wouldn't talk basketball with.
Anyways, as I said before, Draymond is always doing more than expected. He's always the voice of the team during games, and he does anything possible for this team to win. He doesn't care how it happens, how he does it, or when he does it during the game.
Draymond, his entire career, has made the winning plays that no one ever talks about or that the media wouldn't typically highlight. But Draymond doesn't even care about that recognition. He has never cared about how he may be viewed as taking a backseat to Steph and Klay regarding the best players on the team.
But let me clarify, if you think Draymond is in the backseat of the Splash Brothers– you're wrong. He's just as much in the front seat of the franchise as Steph and Klay are in turning Golden State from the laughing stock of the NBA to being the team that everyone else wishes they were.
As Draymond once said in his podcast, he is not the player he is today without Steph and Klay, but Steph and Klay are not the players they are today without him. Whether you like it or not, it's true. The trio will forever be the identity of this franchise.
Draymond loves basketball; he loves his team, and he loves us fans. He wholeheartedly loves being a Golden State Warrior.
I can write as much as I want from any angle about why Draymond is so unique as a player, but you can watch him play, and his game will speak for itself. I don't need to explain why if you do watch him. And again, if you think of Dray other than an impactful player, I’m probably not talking basketball with you.
And what can even better prove his worth and specialty as a player? His resume.
A 4-time NBA Champion, 4-time NBA All-Star, 7-time NBA All-Defense, 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist, and 1-time Defensive Player of the Year. All of these stats are still “and counting” as well.
After this fourth title, what are people going to say now? There's nothing left for Draymond to prove. He can retire today, and he'll be going to Springfield, Massachusetts.
Every year after this past season that Draymond Green plays is a gift to Golden State. So appreciate Draymond Green while you can, cause we will never see another player like him in a Warriors uniform again.
(Photo credit: NBAE / Getty Images)