Draymond Green can recite names of each player drafted ahead of him
— -- Draymond Green has a championship ring and an All-Star berth as one of the Golden State Warriors' key players. He also carries a huge chip on his shoulder, as he wasn't taken until the 35th pick of the 2012 NBA draft.
Green is so driven by the draft snub that he can recite the names of each player taken before him from memory, according to a story in The Mercury News:
"First was Anthony Davis to New Orleans," [Green] says. "Then Charlotte took Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Then Washington took Bradley Beal. Fourth was Cleveland: Dion Waiters.
"Eight was Toronto: Terrence Ross ...
"Sixteen was Houston: Royce White ...
By the time he's done, Green has reeled off the names of all 34 players selected ahead of him and the corresponding team.
Curiously, the Warriors passed on Green, twice, in that draft, picking Harrison Barnes at No. 7 and Festus Ezeli at No. 30 before Green went at No. 35. However, he told the Mercury News that he doesn't hold that against the team, "Because what they did makes perfect sense."
It's obvious Green wouldn't have fallen to the second round if the draft were held now. He's one of just four players from the 2012 draft to be selected to an All-Star team (joining Davis, Damian Lillard and Andre Drummond). Last year, in a piece that redid the 2012 draft, Green would have gone fifth overall. And after this season, he could've gone even higher.
