Not many basketball players can witness a team retire their jersey at any level. But some have the honor of getting their jerseys retired by every team they ever played for. These are Hall of Famers, some of the best to ever walk on the court. Draymond Green, undoubtedly, is one such player. The things he has done for the game, for his teams, completely justify the honor. In fact, he has already been honored by Michigan State in 2019 by putting his jersey in the rafters. But Green revealed that might have never happened.
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In 2020, Green appeared on Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes’ ALL THE SMOKE Podcast. The two former NBA players displayed curiosity in Green’s recruitment process. Despite always wanting to attend Michigan State since childhood, Green initially committed to Kentucky due to the Spartans’ reluctance to offer him a scholarship. However, the coach who recruited Green left Kentucky. As a result, Draymond, without telling his mother, committed to Kentucky. Shortly after he received a phone call from Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, which Green recalled the conversation. He said,
“I reopen my recruitment and the first call I get that next morning is from coach Izzo. I’m like, ‘What’s up?’ He’s like, “How the f**k could you commit to Kentucky, it’s f*****g bulls**t.’ You didn’t f*****g offer so now I start going back. He’s like, ‘Who the f**k said that? Well you didn’t have a f*****g offer but now I’m telling you that you’ve got a f******g offer!’ We’re having a screaming match, he’s offering me a scholarship.”
Green kept Michigan State in high regard during his entire recruitment process. The Michigan native aspired to be close to home for his collegiate career. His fandom of the Spartans provided him with more reason to do such. However, Tom Izzo and the Michigan State staff played hardball with Green initially.
It turned out to be the right decision as Green and Izzo were able to form a father-son-like relationship later on. However, Green nearly chose in-state rival Michigan over Michigan State. Before officially committing to Michigan, they begged Green to participate in an open gym session. Green obliged their request and revealed, “I’m busting they’re a**.”
Additionally, no one responded to his chirping and trash talk. On the other hand, when he attended open gym sessions at Michigan State, players were ready to fight. The 6ft 6″ forward expressed the at-home feeling he felt at Michigan State, which couldn’t be replicated elsewhere. As a result, he committed to his dream program and the rest became history.
Green’s decision to attend Michigan State was the best of his life
Arguably the most important decision of a young athlete is selecting the right college program. It could either make or break one’s career. Green made the perfect decision and his body of work in college is a reflection of that.
Green spent all four of his eligible college seasons at Michigan State. Spartans fans witnessed the undersized forward grow from a designated reserve into a star in the Big 10. In his sophomore season, Green helped propel the Spartans to a Final Four appearance. In the following season, Green led the Spartans to the 2012 Big 10 Championship while earning the tournament’s MVP honors.
During his final season at Michigan State, he led the team to a Sweet 16 appearance. His contributions to the program are timeless and now number 23 will hang in the rafters forever.
