The Golden State Warriors found themselves with a hidden gem in the 2012 NBA Draft by drafting Draymond Green with the 35th overall pick. Throughout the course of his NBA career, Green has cemented his position as one of the toughest players in the NBA.
In addition to that, he has played a crucial role in the success of the Golden State Warriors dynasty. Green is not someone who would add a lot of points, rebounds, or assists for his team on a nightly basis, but he is a great leader.
Well, that’s what most thought until a video of him punching Jordan Poole went viral. Since that altercation with Poole, Green has seemingly lost a lot of respect among his teammates and the rest of the NBA community, for that matter.
Green has publicly apologized to Poole for punching the 23-year-old during practice. But it may take a few weeks for things to calm down inside the Warriors’ locker room.
Draymond Green Has Always Been Tenacious
Green has always been pretty vocal in his career. But the former Defensive Player of the Year recently explained that he took his tenacity to the next level after entering the NBA. He claimed he did so to make a place for himself on the Warriors roster.
(Starts at 17:40):
“I’ve always been a dawg. Growing up in Saginaw, 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 added, “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.”
As Green explained in the video, he has always been a tough player. He admitted to literally developing the skill of bullying players in the league to make a name for himself and a place in the Warriors’ team. Well, he succeeded in doing so and has helped the team win four NBA Championships during his time with the Dubs.
