In this episode of the Draymond Green Show, host Draymond Green interviews NBA veteran DeMar DeRozan about LeBron James’ appearance in the Drew League and its broader significance. DeRozan explains his deliberate decision to return to the Drew League each off‑season to sharpen his game and give local kids a rare chance to see NBA stars up close. He recounts the electrifying atmosphere of a high‑school‑gym setting in Compton, the emotional impact on the community, and how moments like LeBron’s and Kobe’s past appearances serve as inspiration after the loss of local legends such as Nipsey Hussle. Green reflects on his own feelings watching the game, emphasizing the rarity of seeing elite players in a grassroots setting and the motivational effect on youth who might otherwise never meet a professional athlete. The conversation also touches on the personal challenges of playing in pro‑am settings, the seriousness required, and the nostalgic value of these community‑driven games. A brief Hennessy sponsorship read is included but does not affect the core discussion.
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What's up everybody? It's Draymond Green. Make sure you subscribe to the Volumes YouTube channel below so you don't miss any more of this great content going forward. I had a chance last weekend to watch you and Bron play in the Drew League. And for me, I enjoyed the hell out of it. And the reason I enjoyed it —was because you miss that atmosphere. Like, I miss the atmosphere of going into a high school gym and playing basketball or watching a basketball game. Now you take that to another level and I'm going into a high school gym watching you and LeBron James play a basketball game. What was that like? And I know you play in the Drew often, but I can't imagine the energy that I felt that day. I can't imagine that it's always like that.
Nah, I mean, I made it a conscious effort to come back this off-season and say I was gonna try playing the Drew every weekend. You know, last couple years, you know, especially with the pandemic, it was a summer, it wasn't no Drew. The following summer was kind of sporadic all over the place. You know, so that basketball element, you know, for the community hasn't been there. You know, I think for me, I was just trying to get back on top of working on my game, but just give those, the kids that hasn't had the opportunity to see, you know, basketball up close and personal, you know. And for me, it was just a conscious effort of being there. And it was one day, the previous weekend, Bron had hit me after I played in it and was like, "Yo, I'm trying to come down there and play with you." So I'm like, you know, in the moment I'm like, "Hell yeah, that's dope." You know, not just for me, just for the community, you know? And he was with it, you know? I told him, "Man, come on, let's do it." You know, he hit me the night before. I put out a little tweet, you know, and woke up the next day and it was one of those moments that you can't duplicate. Like, I remember when Kobe came and played in the Drew. That was kind of one of the most epic moments of how he did that. But it wasn't even supposed to have been a game played that day. So this time around with Bron coming, it was a game supposed to be played. I've been playing in it. And to wake up that morning and see the line around the Drew League stretched around the corner, it just took it back to that old school, early 2000s feel. Like you said, being in the high school gym and just to see the kids out there being able to see LeBron James come play in Compton. Like you cannot beat that. You know, and the atmosphere was one of a kind. It was special. I was honored to be a part of it. And, you know, I gotta give credit to Bron for even, you know, you talking about a guy that's the GOAT in our league going into his 20th season, you know, going out there playing like what we grew up watching. You know what I mean? It was amazing feeling. You know, I had a great time just being out there, you know, playing with him obviously. And, you know, you just look around, it was— Crazy. —couple moments where I just looked around, you see kids, you know, just the smile and excitement on their face. Like that's something that's going, that they gonna remember forever, you know? And that's what it's all about.
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Yeah, no question.
Like they weren't real people. They're like somebody you watch play basketball on TV and like, wow, that's incredible. Like I wanna do that one day, but no clue how to get there. What I saw from those kids was like, they got to touch you. They got to touch LeBron James. How big is that for the community and continuing to move Compton forward and continuing to make Compton a better place than it was when you arrived in Compton?
That's what it's all about. And that was even a conversation I had with Bron was saying, you know, this was, for the city, you know, last couple years, you know, the passing of Kobe, you know, we lost Nipsey Hussle. It's been, you know, the city has kind of been extremely heavy with losing a lot of legends that the community look up to and guys just outside of sports that move this whole community and give you imagination and give you that inspiration and wanna keep pushing forward. You know, so that moment there was an opportunity for us to, capitalize on. And like you said, you've seen it in these kids' face that that's gonna do something for them that's way beyond just basketball. It give you a sense of motivation, confidence, inspiration, and wanna be something bigger and better than what you see in that moment. I remember when I was a kid, you know, no disrespect, but to me, my first NBA player that I seen that I thought was everything that I could touch was Derek Martin. Most people won't even know who Derek Martin is, but I remember seeing him at my grandfather's house when I was a kid and just knowing he was in the NBA was the only motivation I needed to keep pushing forward. You know what I mean?
Absolutely.
So you telling me LeBron James just came down here to play and right across the street is the projects, right down the street, like is the neighborhood I grew up in. Like I could go on, and own what's around that community. So to see this man come up there and play them, it about, you know, critiquing it. Like you said, it's bigger than that. It's bigger than basketball. It's being an inspiration and a motivation to that community to have light and to keep pushing forward. And that was a positive day that's gonna be remembered forever.
I'll be 100% honest. After I watched that, I'm like, yo, I think I need to play in the Drew. But I haven't, I haven't played in a pro-am game in probably 6 or 7 years. And I think for me, when I did used to play, I used to play back in Michigan. And the reason I played in the Chi League before, and the reason I don't play in summer league or like pro-am games or whatever it is in the summer, is because I get too serious. Like I, it's either, It's either I'm gonna be like dialed in and serious as hell.
Yeah.
Or I can't take the game serious. And if I can't take the game serious, then I don't like being out there.
No question.
But I then watched you get into it with dude with the taxi Kobe's on. So that's the only way I'm gonna remember him is that he had on the taxi Kobe's. And by the way, kind of pissed me off a little bit. You was over there on the sideline talking and he just sitting there mugging when he ain't get back in the game.
Right, right.
I don't know, bro. But I ain't appreciate it. That shit kind of pissed me off a little bit. But in saying that, it feel like to me, and once I saw that, it gets serious out there and that's okay.
Yeah, I mean, that's the game we grew up on. You know what I mean? Like that's how I looked at the game where when you go to the park or you going to the gym, like it's not playtime. You know what I mean? And no matter if I'm playing in NBA or if I'm playing in Drew League or, If there's nobody watching.
Absolutely.
That's, you know, the passion I have towards the game. And that's how, if you that way, that's what it's called for. I don't care who you playing against, you know what I mean? But that's the beauty of the game in itself, to be able to bring that side outta you to be a complete competitor. I don't know nobody who isn't a competitor that don't show that fire or that passion. You know what I mean? And that's just the beauty of the game.
