It was only a few weeks ago that Draymond Green couldn't even run, still recovering from degenerative back issues that caused him to miss 29 straight games last season due to associated pain in his calf. Thankfully for the defending champions, you would hardly know just how compromised Green was physically just last month given how well he performed on the first day of Golden State Warriors training camp.

Steve Kerr singled out the former Defensive Player of the Year's play on the opening day of Warriors camp in advance of the 2022-23 season, noting that Green's “conditioning looks good” and he was “really moving well.”

During his appearance on the The Checc’n In podcast in mid-September, Green told host Big U that he spent the majority of the offseason focusing on rehabbing herniated discs in his back. The left calf that began bothering him last winter subsequently became so weak that he could barely put it under weight as recently as August.

“So all my rehab, as much as I was letting this heal, I was also rebuilding strength in my calf. I literally lost all strength in my calf,” he said. “So I couldn't jump at all. Six weeks ago, I couldn't run…probably four-and-a-half, five weeks ago, I couldn't run.”

Needless to say, that immobility was firmly in the rearview mirror on Saturday, when Green—a full participant on the opening day of training camp, it bears mentioning—helped the Warriors' starters “dominate” and “demolish” all-comers during live drills and scrimmages.

Green, 32, enters his 10th NBA season remaining the linchpin of Golden State's vaunted defensive attack. While he'll no doubt revert back to playing small-ball center on a game-by-game basis come playoff time, the Warriors may not be forced to pull that trump card very often during the regular season, with Kevon Looney entrenched as an impactful starting center and talented seven-footer James Wiseman backing him up. Free agent addition JaMychal Green will surely see some playing time at center, too, further helping Draymond keep fresh.

The Warriors won't repeat as champions unless Green plays close to his peak. After one day of official preparations for 2022-23, all signs suggest health wont be what keeps him from reaching it.