Draymond Green and LeBron James have a checkered history on the court and have been key rivals during the Golden State Warriors-Cleveland Cavaliers Finals trilogy.
However, the Warriors star expressed his appreciation for James and his decision to leave the Cavs for the Miami Heat in 2010, which has had a huge impact on the league and its players, via Mark Medina of The Mercury News.
“He (James) opened up a new door for guys. He gave guys a voice, you know? Willing to use that voice, and I’m not even sure at that time he knew what he was doing,” Green said. “You know, because there was so much backlash with it and all the other things, but it really opened up new doors for guys. Maybe he did know what he was doing, I don’t know. But he did something special for guys around the NBA, like you said, to take their career in y’all hands and go where you feel you want to go.”
While LeBron James is hardly the first player in NBA history to switch teams in free agency, his decision in 2010 was key in empowering this new generation of players to take control of their situation and decide where they want to take their careers regardless of how unpopular that decision may be.
Of course, Kevin Durant himself admitted that James’ decision helped pave the way for his move to join Green and the Golden State Warriors, which resulted in another ring for Green at the expense of the Cavs superstar, ironically. Perhaps that was also a key factor why Draymond Green was so thankful for his old foe.
Follow Us
Subscribe