Draymond Green started off his NBA career as a solid off-the-bench player. As an early second-round pick of the 2012 Draft, not a lot was expected from Green. However, in merely two seasons he became a starter for the Golden State Warriors and played a pivotal role in the 2015 Championship run. During Klay Thompson’s appearance on the All The Smoke podcast, Klay shed light upon Green’s “crazy” on-court as well as off-court antics. Narrating a story from the time when the Warriors defeated the LeBron James-led Miami Heat, Thompson revealed when he figured that Draymond was “wired differently”.
Advertisement
Selected as the 35th pick of the draft, Draymond Green wasn’t offered a lucrative rookie contract. The Bay Area side signed the defensive specialist to a three-year, $2,640,743 contract. However, in the campaign before his contract expired, Green had a phenomenal display. During the 2014-2015 Championship year, the Michigan State alum lodged 11.7/8.2/3.7 while being a menace on the defensive end of the floor. That very year, the Forward displayed his highly competitive nature by trash-talking a prime LeBron James. As a reward, a successful campaign resulted in the GSW offering him a larger five-year, $82,000,000 deal in the summer of 2015.
Klay Thompson narrates a few Draymond Green incidents
During his appearance on Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson’s podcast, Klay Thompson discussed the constant improvements Draymond Green has made. At one point in the conversation, the Splash Brother revealed a few of Green’s antics that left him in awe.
As a second-round pick who wasn’t earning the big bucks yet, Green was still chirpy at the bourre table. His constant bickering left Thompson amazed.
“I’ll never forget, Draymond is a 2nd Round pick, hadn’t even made a lot of money yet. He’s sitting at the bourre table, talking crazy. I’m like ‘who is this fool? He is n*ts.’ Dray’s out here gambling with the big boys, like he’s not even phased.”
Further, the Guard disclosed the exact moment when he realized that Dray was “wired differently”. During the Miami Heat’s Big Three era, the Warriors grabbed a huge 95-93 win against LeBron James and co. Draymond, who was having a silent night offensively, hit the game-winner. During that same contest, Green was constantly talking trash to anybody and everybody.
“When we beat the Miami Heat in Miami Jarrett Jack hit Draymond wide open for a layup. We celebrated that night like we won the Championship. We just beat the Heats and I saw how Draymond didn’t back down to LeBron that game. He was talking mess like this guy is crazy. He’s out here talking crazy to anybody. That’s how I knew he was wired differently… He’s the same way to this day and that’s what makes him go and makes our team go.”
View this post on Instagram
Green, whose career started with a $2.64 million rookie contract, has now managed to win it all. Amid many other accolades, the 33-year-old has won four Championships, the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, and has been selected to four All-Star Games.
Green signed a $100 million extension this summer
Only a handful of second-round picks have managed to be successful and Draymond Green is one of them. Over the span of his 11-year career, Green has raked up a total of $155,562,184 in earnings.
This summer, there were a lot of speculations regarding Green parting ways with the San Francisco side. However, displaying his true loyalty to the franchise, Green signed a contract extension. In fact, the veteran took a pay cut, allowing the Warriors to re-sign him on a team-friendly four-year, $100 million deal.
