There are a lot of reasons why Draymond Green is appreciated. But at the same time, he also has a reputation for being a dirty player in the NBA. He has pulled many stunts but somehow, they worked in his favor at times. But with all due respect, he’s probably been one of the reasons the Golden State Warriors have been extremely successful over the years. Even his teammates would agree to it at a major extent.
The NBA star was drafted in 2012 by the Warriors and he has played with them ever since. Green has been through a lot with the Warriors. He’s worked through their lowest points and the dynasties they formed over the years. As a result, he’s now a 4x NBA Champion, 4x All-Star, former Defensive Player of the Year, and former NBA Steals Leader. Additionally, he also helped Team USA Basketball to win the gold medal at the Olympics twice.
Draymond Green grew up in Michigan, a place known for producing the toughest athletes. He committed to Michigan State University back in 2008, and his college career is as decorated as his NBA stint. Green was an absolute leader amongst men while he was at MSU. As a result, he also had his jersey number retired by the institution as well. So let’s take a look at his outstanding tenure.
Who did Draymond Green play with at Michigan State?
Between 2008 and 2012, Draymond Green played alongside a couple of great college athletes at the time. There were a few players who stood by his side for his entire college stint. Derrick Nix was one player, who co-captained the team at one point while Green stood at the leader. Austin Thornton played the guard position and was very versatile just like Green. Anthony Ianni was another player who worked the bigs position along with Green. He helped Green through many crucial games at MSU.
The Warriors center played four seasons at Michigan averaging 10.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. He ranks second in all-time rebounds amongst Michigan players. Green was a double-double machine as well. At one point during his senior year, he became one of three players including Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson to record two triple-doubles in the NCAA.
Draymond was named Big Ten Men’s Basketball Player of the Year four times, a record that nobody else was able to achieve. In 2010, he was named the Big Ten’s Sixth Man of the Year unanimously and the first to win the title in MSU history. He helped MSU to a few division titles as well while earning 2x Third-team All-Big Ten, Big Ten All-Defensive Team, and Consensus first-team All-American selections. In 2012, he was voted the Most Outstanding Player of the Year in the Big Ten division.