Draymond Green Can Name All 34 Players Drafted Ahead Of Him In Order

Draymond Green has become one of the NBA’s best all-around players in less than four years. The 26-year-old is entering his prime as a stud two-way forward on one of the best teams in basketball history. It’s a great story, especially when you consider he wasn’t selected until the 35th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Green hasn’t forgotten where he was selected, in fact, he can still name every player taken before him.

In an an article for the San Jose Mercury News, Jon Wilner recounts talking to Green about draft night. Wilner offered Green a printout of every selection from that evening and got this response:

" “First was Anthony Davis to New Orleans,” he 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. In order."

I love that. You know Green’s long night back in 2012 has fueled him and been an enormous part of his rise up the NBA’s food chain. Green still carries a rather large chip on his shoulder thank to that night. He explains:

"“I know why I had to wait. I know what the scouts thought: ‘He’s a tweener. Who’s he going to guard? He’s maxed out his potential.’ “But I knew none of that was valid. What happened to me is what normally happens to players in my situation. But I knew I wasn’t normal.”"

For the record, Green was seventh in MVP voting this year and finished second in the Defensive Player of the Year race behind defensive cyborg Kawhi Leonard.

Here is a partial list of the most egregious selections before Green came off the board:

No. 5 – Thomas Robinson, Sacramento Kings
No. 11 – Meyers Leonard, Portland Trail Blazers
No. 12 – Jeremy Lamb, Houston Rockets
No. 13 – Kendall Marshall, Phoenix Suns
No. 16 – Royce White, Houston Rockets
No. 19 – Andrew Nicholson, Orlando Magic
No. 22 – Fab Melo, Boston Celtics
No. 23 – John Jenkins, Atlanta Hawks
No. 24 – Jared Cunningham, Cleveland Cavaliers
No. 26 – Miles Plumlee, Milwaukee Bucks
No. 27 – Arnett Moultrie, Miami Heat
No. 28 – Perry Jones III, Oklahoma City Thunder
No. 29 – Marquis Teague, Chicago Bulls
No. 31 – Jeffrey Taylor, Charlotte Bobcats
No. 33 – Bernard James, Cleveland Cavaliers

I mean, I would be angered if about half of those guys were picked before me in a local rec league, I can’t imagine being Draymond Green and having to sit through all of those names being called. He wound up on a fantastic Golden State Warriors team but it took a long time for it to happen.

Let’s remember that Green wasn’t some unknown entity who shockingly turned into a great basketball player. He was the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2012 and a consensus first-team All-American. He was on the Big Ten’s All-Defensive Team and was the NABC National Player of the Year as a senior. He also made three All-Big Ten teams during his collegiate years (third-team in 2010, 2011, first-team in 2012).

So yeah, I think it’s awesome that he remembers that fateful night in 2012 and that it drives him. Good for him.