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Time is a valuable commodity. You never know how much of it you have left, and this is especially true regarding NBA players and their careers. One injury or one play could completely alter their career, which is why many players don't dwell on when they will ultimately retire. This is now the case with Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, as he has been haunted by the idea of early retirement due to the obstacles he has faced.
It is hard to imagine a four-time All-Star and NBA champion battling the internal conflict of whether or not to continue playing, yet this is what Green has struggled with in recent years. Between the incident he had at practice with Jordan Poole in 2022 and the on-court issues resulting in suspensions, the idea of retiring before the conclusion of his four-year, $100 million contract has been prominent in Green's mind.
However, the 34-year-old is seeing new light ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season, and he is beginning to value the time he has at the end of his career rather than throw it away.
“What’s crazy is I was so set on that two years ago. And this summer I confused myself even more because I’m like, ‘Ah, I’m done,’” Green told Marc J. Spears of Andscape regarding the idea of retiring. “I’m like, ‘No the [expletive] you not. You got more. You can get past that.’ I’m just enjoying everything every day. Another thought I have was like, man, you started talking about what the end looks like. But the reality is my body don’t feel like I’m nowhere near the end. So, get the thought out your mind. When it happens, it happens.
“But stop planning. One percent of people end it on their terms. Stop trying to end it on your terms by ending too soon. I will know when it’s time, but until I know for sure it’s time, I’m going to enjoy every day.”
Draymond Green embracing end of career
The journey Green has been on with the Warriors has been a rollercoaster ride, to say the least. Four championships since 2015 mask the hardships, mental strain, and constant challenges this organization has faced. For Green personally, the internal struggle of coping with what has transpired and being labeled the villain of the NBA has taken a toll on him mentally.
At the same time, the veteran still has his head coach Steve Kerr and Stephen Curry, one of his best friends, to lean on for support. That is enough for Green to keep things going and prolong his career. Nobody is going to tell Green when to retire, and he now realizes that he has a lot left in the tank as he enters the second season of his four-year, $100 million contract that was signed in 2023.
“I feel incredible,” Green continued. “So, until I know that it’s time, [expletive] thinking. [Expletive] that. Enjoy every second of this. That’s my goal. That’s my plan. And that’s cliché … But that’s my mindset.”
As the Warriors prepare for the 2024-25 season, Green is entering Year 13 in the NBA. It is quite the accomplishment to sustain success for this long, especially when you consider that Green has done so next to Curry on the same team all of these years.
Although Green has faced numerous challenges over the course of the last few seasons, resulting in many NBA fans turning their backs on him, the Warriors' defensive star is simply living in the moment. Nobody controls time, and Green is embracing however much time he has left in his NBA career.
When it is time to retire, he will go out on his terms, but it no longer appears as if retiring is something on Green's mind at the moment.
