Draymond Green is opening up about one of the lowest points of his career. Speaking with Boardroom, the Warriors veteran admitted that he had “zero interest in playing” during the 2019-20 season. It was the first year after Kevin Durant’s departure and a stretch marked by injuries to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
“One of the worst feelings I ever had was the year we sucked,” Draymond said. “It was right after KD left. Klay was hurt. Steph was hurt. We were awful. I had zero interest in playing.”
It was a humbling period for the Warriors, who went from five straight Finals appearances to finishing with one of the league’s worst records. For Draymond, it was a jarring reminder of how quickly dominance can fade in the NBA and how hard it can be to stay motivated when surrounded by inexperience.
“We had just come off five straight NBA Finals,” Draymond added. “We were the best team in the world. Now, I’m out here with 10, maybe 11 guys who were out of the league within a year. No disrespect to them, but they weren’t Steph. They weren’t Klay. They weren’t KD. They weren’t Shaun Livingston. The competitiveness just wasn’t the same. And I was just going through the motions.”
Draymond has helped lead the Warriors during their most successful times. The 6’6” power forward won his first championship just three years into the league and eventually became known as one of the game’s most elite defenders.
Alongside Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, he built a dynasty in Golden State, winning three titles in four years. Before the Warriors won their fourth and final championship, however, they had a brief period of irrelevance that nearly broke Draymond Green.
Without Durant, who left in free agency, or Thompson, who was recovering from an ACL tear, the Warriors were completely hopeless for a stretch, and it led to a miserable season. They finished dead last in the West at 15-50, marking a whopping 42-win drop from the previous season.
While other factors played a role in their struggles, it was the lack of depth that kept the Warriors from success. Unlike during their peak championship days, they no longer had the star power to cover up mistakes. Instead, Draymond had to act as a mentor for a team of unproven young players with almost no job security.
These were dark days for Draymond that pushed him to his absolute limit. Fortunately, his perseverance paid off with the 2022 NBA championship team, which included Curry, Thompson, Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Jordan Poole, and Andrew Wiggins.
Now, with Jimmy Butler in the fold, Draymond has another chance to add to his illustrious resume. Having come back from rock bottom, he’s more motivated than ever to succeed and relive the glory days of the Warriors dynasty.
In the end, Draymond Green’s honesty gives fans a rare glimpse into the mental grind behind the Warriors’ rise and fall. For a player known for his toughness and leadership, admitting he once lost his fire shows how human even the greats can be. But after enduring that low point and finding his way back to the top, Draymond seems more focused than ever. With a renewed sense of purpose and a reloaded roster around him, the veteran forward is ready to chase one more championship before his legendary run comes to an end.
