EAST LANSING, Mich.–On Friday night, and after talking about Michigan State’s 92-46 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Spartans senior Denzel Valentine was invited to discuss former team great Draymond Green, who is having enormous success with the Golden State Warriors.
An NBA championship. A massive contract extension. A run at the historical mark of 15-0.
Times are good for the Draymonds of the world.
Green is arguably Tom Izzo’s finest four-year player, and he serves as a constant reminder of what desire and determination can accomplish when properly applied. Green, who has become a cornerstone of the Warriors and a bonafide NBA star, epitomizes a particular attitude that continues to captivate Valentine.
It’s the same attitude that’s held Valentine’s attention for years, and it’s the same mindset that helped the Warriors complete a 23-point, fourth-quarter comeback Thursday night versus the L.A. Clippers. Due to a late tipoff and a game to play Friday, Valentine wasn’t able to watch the 124-117 game in its entirety.
But he’s kept very close tabs on Green’s career.
“He’s been amazing,” said Valentine, who got close to his second (and consecutive) triple-double Friday night. “He’s given people like me hope, you know—somebody’s who’s ‘undersized,’ you know, and not predicted to do this or do that in the NBA.
People say you’re not going to be this or that on the next level… you know, he just shows that if you compete and you know how to play basketball and you work hard, you can play in any league.”
In 2011-12, Green was named the NABC National Player of the Year and Big Ten Player of the Year. Despite size concerns, the 6’7,” 230-pounder was drafted that spring in the second round of the NBA Draft. He’s continuously out-playing and out-hustling considerably larger players, and he’s continuously proving to be an invaluable asset to Golden State.
And he leads Golden State with 6.9 assists per game, something that Valentine–who’s had 23 during the past two games–can certainly appreciate.
“I really look up to him,” said Valentine, a 6’5,” 220-pound utilitarian. “He’s one of my top five favorite players—probably top three—in the league. I love watching him play—the competitiveness, the leadership and the toughness that he brings to the Warriors.
I really think he’s the main piece of why they’re winning. Steph can score all these points and everything, but if they don’t have any leadership and defense, they can’t win those games. Steph is obviously probably the biggest, but other than that, it’s Draymond.”
Curry was recently compared to Michael Jordan by NBA great Kevin Garnett. Not head-to-head, exactly, but it was more along the lines of impact on the game.
Stature and presence.
He’s reached megastar status. He’s got a title, fame and the highest of high expectations. Green scored 19 points, dished nine assists and grabbed six boards Thursday night–but Curry dropped 40 like it was nothing.
And he went 12-for-12 from the line.
The comparison, in terms of impact on the game, is more than appropriate in Valentine’s eyes.
“He’s just really unreal with the stuff he does—the type of skill he has and how he affects a game and affects a defense is just amazing to me,” Valentine said. “He’s on fire right now, and that’s because he works hard and he’s a class-act. He deserves everything he’s getting right now.
He works hard—and he’s just off the chain right now.”
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