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Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors have been the NBA’s dominant force for years. This season, however, the team is struggling with injuries and the departure of Kevin Durant. Just one season ago, Golden State was fighting for another Larry O’Brien Trophy. Through their first 17 games of this campaign, they’ve recorded a 3-14 record.
Green, who is currently day-to-day with a heel injury and has been dealing with myriad injury issues, was recently asked how he would have handled such a poor start at a younger age:
“Well, first of all, I’d be mad at the world,” Green said, via The Athletic. “I just wouldn’t want to deal with anyone, I wouldn’t want to talk to anyone. I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I wouldn’t have perspective. I wouldn’t be able to put losing into perspective. It’d just be like, ‘Yo, I’m getting my ass beat every day. This is stupid. It don’t make sense to me. This does not make sense.’”
Age has given Green wisdom and perspective. He credits his family life for keeping him grounded through turbulent times:
“But at 29, I have perspective outside of basketball,” Green adds. “I have a whole family. I’ll go home after a game and my daughter will go: ‘Did we win today?’”
“No, we lost.”
“Well, why did we lose!?!”
“All my kids know is the Warriors winning,” Green continues. “So, us losing, it doesn’t make sense to them.
“But once I answer (my kids), they’re on to the next thing,” Green adds. “It’s: ‘Oh, OK, let’s go do this, let’s have fun, it’s time for you to be the tickle monster.’ I have to get home, do bath time, be present for my fiancée. Perspective.”
A lot has changed for the Warriors. Some feel that their dynasty is ending, while others believe this season is merely a pause in their championship aspirations. Golden State should be good again next season once Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are fully healthy again, and assuming D’Angelo Russell is back in the fold and not traded. The Dubs are also on track to add a high draft pick to the mix.
Whatever does happen, though, Green is well-equipped to deal with it. He has grown wiser and more mature as his career has gone on, and he knows there’s more to life than just winning and losing basketball games. This newfound perspective will help him moving forward both in his playing career and after he’s done.