In this episode of the Draymond Green Show, Draymond Green discusses his personal philosophy of mentorship, recounting how he has tried to teach younger teammates—Kevon Looney, Jordan Poole, and Trace—so they can surpass him. He expresses deep regret for not celebrating Jordan Poole’s contract extension, describing it as one of his worst moments as an NBA player. Green also highlights the importance of veteran presence, sharing Kevon Looney’s story of arriving at practice on crutches and his own struggle with punctuality after feeling embarrassed following Poole’s departure. Throughout, Green emphasizes that seeing a protégé succeed is the most rewarding feeling, while also acknowledging his own mistakes and the broader impact veterans have on team culture.
Chapters
If you take someone under your wing and you try to teach them the things that you know, if they don't end up smarter than you, you didn't do a good job or you didn't do the job that needed to be done. Because for me, since this man arrived in San Francisco, Oakland actually, but with the Golden State Warriors, He actually arrived to take my spot. Like, 'cause the Warriors kept drafting people to like, get me outta there for like 5, 6 years. It was like Loon, then it was, I mean, I could just name the names. I won't remember the order, but it was like Loon, then JB, then like Eric Pascal, Smiley. Like the list went on and the Warriors kept drafting people to like replace me. And I get it by the way. Like it was never like a, like, "Oh, that's bullshit." Or like, "Fuck that, I'm not gonna teach this man something." Like, it was never that for me for a couple reasons. Number one is because when I got the spot that I got, when David Lee was hurt and then I took over the spot, he never stopped teaching me. He never stopped saying like, "Yo, you see this? Like, they're doing this, you should." Or how to combat. He never stopped teaching me. Love David Lee to death. Always will have my love and respect. Never stopped teaching me. So number one, I was taught that. At Michigan State when the competition was going on, Travis Walton taught us like, "No, I'm in competition with Caleb Lucas because he coming in to take my spot, but that's my little brother and I'm gonna teach him everything I know." And so for me, I've tried to teach and instill everything I know into this man right here because I felt like that was my duty. And I be feeling so dumb when he come talk to me like, yo, you see da da da da da da da da. And like sometimes I don't even see it and I'll be like, yeah, yeah, I saw that. Like I just act like I saw it. But secondly, even if I do see it, it's like, bro, you don't need the answers from me. Like, you know the answers to the test already. Like, I don't need to give you the answers to the test. And I feel like he be doing that on purpose to make me look or feel dumb, not look because it's just me and him, feel dumb when he like, "Yo, you see blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, ah, and they doing this." And I'm like, "Yeah, that's exactly what they doing." But nonetheless.
That's why I gotta make sure I'm right. I be having ideas, but I gotta make sure, check in with you 'cause if you seen it, I know I'm right then.
Right. It is the most special thing when you take a young guy under your wing and then you see them have success. It is the best feeling. By the way, it was the same thing for me with Jordan Poole. When I took like JP under my wing and to see him have success, Was the best thing for me. One of the worst feelings I've ever had as an NBA basketball player was seeing him get a contract and knowing that I fucked it off and I couldn't celebrate his contract with him. It was one of the worst feelings that I've ever had as an NBA player. Not losing the NBA Finals, as much as that sucks, you move on from it. But like, that's a life-changing thing. Like, we've experienced that. Like, you got your contract, that was life-changing, right? We experienced that. And to see his life change like that, and like, I think he had like a party or something with his people in San Francisco or something. And like, to not be able to go celebrate that. And I fucked it off, like I did. I ain't gonna sit here and act like I didn't. I fucked it off. You know me, I take it on the chin and I— Right. I take it on the chin. It is what it is. I don't hide from my fuck-ups, just like I don't hide from my wins. When I talk to y'all about the wins I have, and I tell you, don't let us win another fucking championship, and then I tell you about it, I'm the same way with my losses. And I messed that one up, but it hurts. And to see Loon have the success that they've had, and to just know like, you taught him a little bit. You did what you were supposed to do to teach a little bit. It's the best feeling in the world. And not only you doing that, what was it like for you to see Trace playing well this year? Right.
I had, well, to see Trace play well has been, it's been great. You know, seeing him in, 'cause really in, during the summertime he was hurt. So I couldn't really like play with him. We didn't get a lot of time to like work out together. But this year, No, being able to work out with him and see his talent. I remember me and you talking about like in the summertime he couldn't play at the minicamp and you was asking him, "Man, when he gonna get out on the court? Is he, how is he?" I'm like, "He pretty good. Like he got a good feel for the game. He got a high IQ." I didn't know he was that athletic until probably the season actually started. But just to see his growth and be able to learn and like work out with him has been cool. Especially after like losing Ducky, I feel like, our big man, this guy, a lot closer. So it's always, always cool to, you know, see him, you know, reap his, the reward after the work he put in. So it's been really cool. I know you the reason I ain't never late, right?
Why is that?
First day of my training camp, I'm on crutches. I pull up to practice like 10:30. It start at 11. I can't walk. I can't even get on the court. I'm not even rehabbing at the facility. I gotta go somewhere else to rehab. And he come in sweating, locker room. You just now getting here? I'm like, yeah. Like, I'm like, I can't do nothing. Be here 8:30 tomorrow.
Like, all right.
And ever since then, I've been there at 8:30 every day. I ain't never late just 'cause he told me so. I guess that's the time I'm supposed to be here. He probably, I don't even know if he remember that, but I was on crutches. I'm like, why you tripping? I can't even practice. I can't walk. I can't do anything but, hey, I'm gonna be here at 8:30. Just sit here and watch.
That's crazy. I've never heard this story, by the way. Y'all heard it here on the Draymond Green Show presented to you by Hyperice and Kevon Looney. And I'm honored to hear that because over the last 2 years of my career, well, actually I wasn't late at all this year. I was so embarrassed to be around our team last year when JP was still on the team. That I came to everything. Like I was probably late last season 20 times and I just paid a fine because I was so embarrassed to like show my face in a time where it's like, like before everything start, that's when everybody like shooting the shit and like all the conversation. I was so embarrassed to show my face during those times that I would time everything up like, If we're on the road, I time it up to like the minute I need to get there. And if the elevator took a little bit longer than it was supposed to, I'd be late. Or if I'm leaving my crib, which is like 7 to 8 minutes away from the facility, I time it up to the minute of where I need to arrive. And if the red light right there in front of the Giants Stadium, Oracle Park, if the red light Caught me, I'd be 2, 3 minutes late. Like, ah! And so one of Steve's rules this year was like, Draymond, don't be late. And I'm never a late guy. I was never late in my career. But last year I couldn't show my face like before. Like, it was just—
Right.
It was terrible. And so I was happy to be back on time this year. I'm also happy to hear that because again, the impact that you make on a young guy, and I've talked about this too, some of these teams not having a vet. Like—
Right.
The importance of a vet on a young player goes way further than their game could ever take them. And to hear that is an honor to me. I'm honored to have my young brother, my little brother, Kevon Looney, Toon, y'all don't know that, but my man Toon on the show.
We're this close to crowning an NBA champion. I like the Celtics, by the way, in 6. Jaylen Brown's gonna be my MVP, and I love the Celtics in game 1. But sign up, 90 seconds, put in the code COLIN, C-O-L-I-N, DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NBA. If you're a new customer, bet $5, that's it. Just bet $5 and you'll get $150 instantly in bonus bets. The code, COLIN, C-O-L-I-N, shows them that you're a new customer to get $150 in bonus bets only on DraftKings. The crown is yours. I'm leaning Celtics in 6, baby.
