Born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan, Draymond Green was not exactly the ideal NBA fit. He played in Saginaw Highschool during his pre-college days and for the Michigan State Spartans in college. Green helped them make a Big Ten tournament championship appearance in 2012 along with two Final Four appearances.
In his sophomore year, Draymond Green won the Sixth Man of the Year and in his senior year, he won consensus All-American and NABC National Player of the Year. Despite his accomplishments, he was not projected to be a first-round pick in the NBA Draft due to his lack of height and his stature that made him appear non-athletic.
Playing for the Golden State Warriors
Draymond Green was drafted with the 35th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors, his first game was against the Phoenix Suns where he only played one single minute. In his rookie season, he only averaged 2.9 points, 0.3 blocks, 0.5 assists, 0.7 assists, 3 rebounds in 13.4 minutes-per-game. Green played in the playoffs in his rookie season and made playoff appearances every year since with the Warriors.
While Green's rookie numbers were below average, they increased heavily year after year. In the season where the Warriors won their first NBA Championship in 2014, Green was already averaging 11.7 points, 1.3 blocks, 1.6 steals, 3.7 assists, and 9.5 rebounds-per-game.
In that same season, Draymond was the runner-up in the Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player of the Year awards. He even recorded a triple-double in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, making him one of six players (Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, James Worthy, Tim Duncan and LeBron James) to record a triple-double in a clinching game in the NBA finals.
From second round draft pick to 'Defensive Player of the Year'
In 2016, Draymond Green averaged 7.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 2.0 steals, 7.0 assists, and 10.2 points-per-game. He was named an NBA All-Star reserve last season and accomplished a record-breaking night by recording a triple-double without scoring double-digit points, recording four points, 10 assists, 12 rebounds, and 10 steals against the Memphis Grizzlies making him just the second NBA player ever to have that kind of stat.
Ever since his breakout year in 2014, Green Draymond Green has not stopped improving and in 2016 he finally won his first Defensive Player of the Year award and his second NBA Championship.
