Golden State Warriors: Ranking the top-5 second-round picks in team history

Draymond Green, 35th Pick (2012)

There is no question about this one.

Draymond Green has to be number one on this list, and anyone who argues probably dislikes Green. Now I don’t think he is, but you could make an argument that Draymond Green is the best second-round pick of all time.

However, I think Manu Ginobili may have him beat there.

Green was not a highly sought after pick in the 2012 draft, which is why he fell so far. He was not the most talented player in the draft or the most physically intriguing.

The 2012 draft was star-studded and one of the deepest drafts of the early 2010s. Of course, the number one overall pick was Anthony Davis, a top-five player in the league, and Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard also were selected in this draft.

Draymond Green was the fourth-best player in this draft, but he had to develop into that with a few seasons on the Warriors.

Green’s rookie season was horrid. He shot 32 percent from the field in 72 games while averaging two points a game. It may have taken him a minute to figure out his impact on the game because two seasons later, he was averaging a near double-double with a steal and a block per game.

While he won’t put up crazy numbers, his accolades speak for themselves. A five-time All-Defensive team, two-time All-NBA, three-time All-Star, Defensive Player of the Year, steals leader, and of course, a three-time NBA champion.

Draymond Green is an outstanding player and should get more recognition for the things he does. No, he isn’t the best shooter, but he does everything else at an elite level.

This article’s point was to show that a player drafted in the second round is not always a bad player. While there have been more bad than good, the Warriors have been fortunate to have a couple.