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Draymond Green arrived to the Golden State Warriors as the 35th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft with little to no expectations prior to the 2012-13 season. However, it was the advice given to him by then-head coach Mark Jackson that helped Green early in his career.
Green joined a team in the beginning stages of a rebuild, who broke a five-year playoff drought that season. Green logged 79 appearances as a rookie but averaged just 2.9 points in 13.4 minutes per game after sitting behind a few players on the depth chart.
Despite seeing little playing time, Green came in and instantly challenged his new teammates. In an interview with Cari Champion on “The Brownprint” podcast, Green said the advice given to him by Jackson helped boost his confidence and bring that competitiveness to the Warriors.
I also had a coach in Mark Jackson who told me from the very beginning, ‘Listen, I want you to come here as the same Draymond I’ve been watching on TV for years. I want you to be an animal, be a dog and be a leader. I don’t care who is in front of you, I don’t care who has more money than you, who has more status in the league than you — I want you to come in and be the same leader that you’ve been your whole life.’
I’m forever thankful for Mark Jackson because to hear that from your head coach as a second-round pick, it’s almost like a stamp of approval. And I think a lot of guys don’t necessarily get that coming into the league. I was very fortunate to have Mark Jackson tell me that from the very beginning.
Of course, Green became a full-time starter during the 2014-15 season when David Lee suffered a preseason injury, and the rest, as they say, is history. Green helped the Warriors to three championships while he went on to win the 2017 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.
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