After the Warriors defeated the Raptors on Sunday, 119-104, Draymond Green opened up about how he’s “found” his love for the game again and how his children motivate him.
“I’ve just kind of found that love again,” said Green, who snagged 14 boards in the win (via ESPN). “Kind of go through a lot of s— and the love kind of wanes a little bit. But I’ve just found that love and joy for the game and I’m just enjoying playing basketball and controlling what I can control. A point of emphasis for myself this year was simply to control what I could control. That means on the court, that means with the referees, that means off the floor—that’s just a step in my life and I think it shows on the basketball court.”
“My son is getting older, my oldest daughter, she’s seven now,” he added. “They kind of get on my ass if we lose, so that’s motivation. And I think for me, also, I’ve been s**** the last couple of years, so my kids don’t really understand how good I am. And I want them to see how good I am so that they’ll have an understanding. So that is motivation for me.”
Earlier this month, Green had talked about the “mental hurdle” of shooting, and so far this season, his numbers have improved offensively: he’s currently shooting a career-high 55 percent from the field and averaging 7.8 points per game this season. On the boards, Green is averaging 7.9 rebounds, which is an increase from last year’s 7.1 per game.
The Warriors have been off to an electric start to the season and are currently No. 1 in the West with a League-best 15-2 record. As the team continues to dominate and prove the doubters wrong, Green says he’s “motivated” by all of those who have “doubted” him.
In fact, he has his sights set on reaching All-Star status again and even winning Defensive Player of the Year for the second time—a feat he accomplished in 2016-17 when he became the first Warrior to ever win the award.
“And most importantly I want to win, I want to be a Defensive Player of the Year again, and I want to be an All-Star again. And that is motivating me because a lot of people had counted me out. Same mistake people made before when I first came into the League—but a lot of people doubted me, and doubted me again. And that’s fuel to the fire.”
Green and the Warriors will take on Sixers on Wednesday night.
