After being pitted against each other in the Finals for four straight years, it's no surprise Draymond Green and LeBron James have become heated rivals. Even so, the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers forward have developed a mutual respect.
Yahoo Sports recently released an article about how Green respects the four-time NBA MVP's body of work.
Green said: “If you look at what LeBron has done over his career – the way he's carried himself, the way he's gone about his business off the court, the way he takes care of his body – I think he's laid the blueprint, not only for myself but for many athletes for years to come.
“We do battle on the floor. I've been that way my entire life, it doesn't matter who I play against, I could play against my blood brother and, when we're on the floor, I want to take your head off. It's just the nature of the competition.
“But off the floor, he's definitely a guy I look to and watch a lot of things he does. He's been so successful on and off the basketball court.
The 6-foot-7 do-it-all forward for the Warriors also says he has developed a friendly relationship with the newest Lakers superstar.
“And I think honestly you'd be crazy not to follow the blueprint. So many times in life someone shows you: ‘Hey, this works.' And we want to deviate from that and give it all a twist – and that twist ends up ruining it.
“So I watch a lot of things he does, he's a friend of mine and a guy I talk to and just try to take as much as advice as I can from.”
The two brilliant all-around players will have more face time this season as LeBron has moved to the stacked Western Conference.
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