Draymond Green is one of those athletes you either love or hate. He plays basketball hard and with a fiery intensity that sometimes spills over into controversy. But nobody can deny that, as a four-time NBA champion, his intensity has allowed him to play for 14 seasons.
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However, like most athletes growing up, Green didn’t just play basketball. As many might guess due to his physical nature, he also played football. But probably not at the position you’d expect.
“Growing up, I played quarterback,” Green revealed on Kittle Things. “Up through fifth grade, I played quarterback.”
Most would guess that Green played as a defender or maybe an offensive lineman. And while he feels those positions suit him perfectly today, back then, he was only interested in the QB position.
Unfortunately for Green, there was another player on his middle school team who also wanted to be a QB. Not only that, but he practically impersonated Michael Vick, from the way he played to the number he wore. This captivated his coaches at the time, and Green ended up losing out on the position.
“I still believe I was the better quarterback, but there was a quarterback that we had that scrambled much better than me. I’m more of a pocket guy, I’m not moving around much,” Green shared, adding,
“Unfortunately, that was during the time that Michael Vick was running around everybody… He gets number 7, and so everybody is enamored. Like, oh man, this guy’s got 7 like Vick. And so he becomes the quarterback.”
Perhaps the worst part of Green’s situation was that the Vick impersonator couldn’t throw the ball well. So, running around and scrambling became his team’s go-to play. That’s when Green decided he needed to try out for a new position. He chose defensive end.
Nowadays, when he watches the NFL, Green’s defensive instincts still kick in from time to time.
“When I’m watching the game today, I’m like, ‘He just let that guy get around the edge. He should never get around the edge!” I’m losing my mind,” Green joked.
All in all, this segment on George Kittle’s podcast offered an interesting piece of information that many may not know about the NBA star. If you’ve ever watched him play, you can tell that Green is comfortable with the ball in his hands operating an offense. This likely stems from his instincts as a QB growing up, so it makes sense.
There are always alternative ways for NBA players to get involved in football. Recently, Rajon Rondo became the #1-ranked flag football QB in the US. He might even lead Team USA in the Olympics in 2028 because of it. Maybe this is a route that Green will pursue once his basketball career is over.
