Draymond Green recently completed his 11th NBA season, all of which was spent with the Golden State Warriors.
Since the Warriors selected Green in the second round of the 2012 draft, Green has won four NBA championships. He was also named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year and is a four-time All-Star.
Despite how his career has turned out, Green admitted that it still crosses his mind that 34 players were drafted before him. During a recent appearance on the «P with Paul George Podcast,» he named the player who, in his opinion, had no place in the draft before him.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts to a call during the third quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Chase Center on March 28, 2023 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Loren Elliott/Getty Images)
«This is not to throw salt at anyone,» Green began. «But Andrew Nicholson was recruited over me as [No.] 19. …At that point they’re comparing us as big guys who can play back to the basket, but I’m looking at this guy and number one, he doesn’t even look like a basketball player.
«I always tell people that when it comes to winning, half the battle is looking like a basketball player. When you’re on a team and you look across the court and you see guys who don’t look alike to basketball players, you automatically lose respect. And when you lose respect for those guys, you do things to them in the game that you otherwise wouldn’t have done if you respected that guy.»
Green added that he was confident Nicholson «is going to be better» than him «at basketball.»
«So that’s half the battle… He’s got a weird body shape, walks like that and talks like that, there’s no way this guy is going to be better than me at basketball. I just don’t see it. So that it was one that really really really bothered me there are several others that went before me but that was one where i get compared and i worked against it a couple of times and didn’t get drafted [before him].»
Nicholson was the No. 19 overall pick in the 2012 draft. He averaged 6.5 points on 47.3 percent shooting, 3.2 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 15.1 minutes during his five-year tenure with the Orlando Magic.
Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors brings the ball up court during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on March 18, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Justin Ford/Getty Images)
He went on to play for the Washington Wizards and the Brooklyn Nets. He currently plays for a professional basketball team in China.
Nicholson wasn’t the only player in the 2012 draft he wasn’t happy with, albeit for different reasons.
«Another one that really bothered me, and this one didn’t bother me because I’m a better basketball player than him, because Royce White was fucking nice,» Green said. «Royce White was super nice and we did a lot of the same things. He was more athletic than me and Royce had big hands, super talented. But also another comparison.
«So the reason why Royce White pissed me off is not because he wasn’t a good basketball player; in fact, I think if he didn’t go through the things he did, I think he would still be dominating the NBA today, but it pissed me off because It’s like, well, we’re very similar and in all of our training, we work against each other. And there was some place where I destroyed him, but I also remember a couple where he destroyed me. So I’m like, well, well, we’re very similar, so if he’s the 16th pick and I’m 35. And I know there are teams in the rest of these middle 19 or 18 picks that see us similar, so maybe they’ll pick me, they’re very similar. he’s 16, I can’t be 35.»
Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center on March 20, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Alex Bierens deHaan/Getty Images)
The Houston Rockets selected White with the 16th overall pick in the draft, but his career was short-lived. He later appeared in three NBA games. He revealed that he struggled with anxiety and developed a fear of flying.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
He eventually left the Rockets and signed a 10-day deal with the Sacramento Kings. In all three of his appearances with the Kings he failed to score a single point.