Draymond Green: An Underdog No More
By Eric He
Draymond Green is a cliché. Or, per Webster, he is “a phrase or expression that has been used so often that it is no longer original or interesting.”
No, that last part of the definition doesn’t exactly suit Green. He’s definitely original, and the most interesting personality on the team.
But Draymond Green, in an abstract sense, is a cliché. By now, you’ve heard his story — and others like his — a million times: the underdog, once doubted and cast aside, now stands on top of the world.
Jun 16, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) and guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrate after game six of the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Warriors won 105-97. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
You know he grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, raised by a single mother working two jobs. You know he was drafted in the second round, passed over again and again and even when he made it, not really expected to make a significant impact. You know he was an undersized power forward, already at a disadvantage before the game even began. But you know the rest, how he worked and grinded, playing with nothing but inner passion and fire, taking incremental leaps forward year by year until he finally earned respect.
When nobody knows your name, yet you work hard, it gets around to some circles. When you work harder, more people find out about you. And then you become some type of cult hero, a figure that everyday citizens can relate to and respect.
That’s what happened to Draymond Green. People like to embrace the underdog, the story out of nowhere, the rags-to-riches tale. They embrace it so much that everyone starts talking about it, and all of a sudden, the kid who no one was talking about four years ago is suddenly a household name, and the second he falters, the talking heads are quick to jump to his aid.
Green’s journey to the top the mountain was completed on Wednesday when he signed a five-year, $82 million contract with the Warriors, etching his name into the elites of the league.
All of a sudden, he is no longer “Draymond Green, the underdog.” He is not underrated, glossed over, or cast aside. While he may have earned respect years ago and league recognition with a breakout 2014-2015 season, this contract signifies his official arrival into the league, ending any lingering doubts about his ability to play with the best.
His reputation has finally caught up to what it should be, and how Green finds his next motivation after winning a championship and signing a mega-contract will be key to his future in the league.
But it feels so good to relish in “Draymond Green, the cliché” one more time. The guy who was chubby and undersized. The guy who couldn’t “guard either forward position because true small forwards will be quicker and true power forwards taller and able to post him and shoot over him.” The guy who had “minimal upside” coming into the draft, whose NBA comparison was Luke Harangody, who you’ve probably never heard of. The guy who was told he couldn’t play in the NBA.
Yup, Green proved them all wrong, proved that in lieu of raw talent, skill and athletic ability, one’s passion, work ethic, grit, and desire can still lead him places — $82 million places, to be exact.