Draymond Green is one of the best defenders of his generation. Green has been in the NBA for 9 years and has been part of one of the greatest dynasties in the history of the league. Draymond was one of the most pivotal figures in the Golden State Warriors dynasty between 2014 and 2019. While most of the plaudits went to stars like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson, Draymond was doing all of the defensive work for the team. Green was the enforcer for the Warriors and helped make sure that the Warriors were not conceding points while their incredible offense was running the game.
Because of the work he does on the defensive end, Green sacrifices a lot with regard to his offensive contribution. Fans got a glimpse of Draymond’s offensive abilities in a clip of his highlights from the 2012 NBA Summer League. In the video, Draymond showcased his full offensive arsenal. Fans were shocked to see that this is the same player who in more recent times would notch double-doubles without ever crossing 10 points in a game. Fans reacted to the clip by noticing how incredible it was to watch Draymond play this way, with one fan even remarking “what happened to this Draymond???”.
Draymond Green Summer League highlights from 2012. 👀
(h/t @Dubs4O8)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) August 9, 2021
Draymond pulling a middy pic.twitter.com/DHr106lHaA
— R O D G E R S’U S H A N K A🇬🇭 (@UTDRodgers) August 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/Zomb1fy/status/1424571645641908227
Draymond was isolating and pulling up .. pic.twitter.com/2EIavNSeaI
— † (@HoodiHachimura) August 9, 2021
Yo Dray's shot looked better when he was younger. Why did he just never develop his jumper when he clearly had the right mechanics? Now its this hip lean in hunch launch that he shoots and its like bruh, you haven't learned from Steph n Klay this whole time?
— Oscar Mendez (@GoldenStateDubz) August 9, 2021
I miss when Draymond was nice like that. Haven’t seen that Dray in years
— StraightTalkSports (@StraightTalkSp1) August 9, 2021
@Money23Green we need this version of you back please 🙏🙏🙏 I know you don’t got to score with Steph Curry on your team, but you and I both know you can score and shoot the ball
— da kid from the burg (@ayrtupnext) August 9, 2021
Y’all gotta understand NBA players. Dray can do still do this. But once you figure out how to play winning basketball with two of the best shooters ever. They don’t need this from him.
— N. (@Helaidback) August 9, 2021
And oftentimes, fans criticize Green for his smaller offensive contributions. But that doesn’t mean that he can’t perform well as an offensive player. Green was a solid player in college, and can do a lot with his size and strength, but is also a solid shooter. Playing with the Golden State Warriors, Green developed a strong shot. But we don’t get to see that side of Draymond because of the work he’s asked to do on the defensive end. Should the Warriors ever ask him to become a greater offensive threat, best believe that Green will bring this side of his game back.
