As pivotal as star power is for an NBA championship, no team can win it all without great role players. The Golden State Warriors are the perfect example. Many believe they had the ultimate role player in Draymond Green. However, Paul Pierce puts that narrative to bed, claiming Green is far more than just a role player.
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It’s quite interesting that Pierce is speaking so highly of Green, considering their past. For those who don’t know, Green was the one who notoriously chirped at Pierce during his final NBA season. However, the former Boston Celtics star isn’t one to let a grudge cloud his judgment. Especially in a recent conversation he had with Danny Green.
The two were discussing Green’s skillset on their No Fouls Given podcast. Many have argued whether Green could emulate the same success he has had with the Warriors elsewhere or if he’s a system player. The two were able to agree that any championship team would benefit from Green’s skill. The difference was born after Pierce made one specific claim.
“[Draymond Green] is not a role player,” Pierce said. “He’s part of the big three. If you say he’s a big three, you’re not a role player.”
Pierce makes an excellent point to support his case. Typically, role players aren’t included in the same breath as a team’s star players. A great example is the 2024 Boston Celtics. Derrick White was exceptional, but he didn’t receive a push to the same level as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Green has always been a member of the Warriors’ big three alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. However, that speaks more to the greatness of Green as a role player in Danny Green’s opinion.
“That’s the reason I think he’s the greatest role player of all time because he’s going in the Hall of Fame,” Green proclaimed.
Danny Green and Paul Pierce were on different ends of the spectrum. However, what they could agree on is that the Warriors were the perfect home for Draymond to reach his full potential.
There’s certainly a high chance that if he began his career on the Charlotte Hornets, he wouldn’t be viewed anywhere close to a star.
Nevertheless, we will never know how Green would perform on another NBA team since he hasn’t played on one. Whether you’re on the same side as Paul Pierce or Danny Green, one thing is for certain, and that is Draymond is one hell of a basketball player.
