Now in his third season in the NBA, former Spartan Draymond “Day Day” Green has made his mark.
The 6-foot-7 forward from Saginaw, Mich. has perhaps had as great a hand in the Golden State Warriors’ 32-6 start to the season as the star guard duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. His well-rounded game and ability to defend all five positions on the court has helped him become one of the most integral role players in the league.
Men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo has taken notice.
“There’s not too many people who don’t like Day Day,” Izzo said Wednesday. “The white collar people, the blue collar people, everybody. Because he’s real, he’s regular. And he’s tough and he plays hard.”
Green is averaging 11.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.6 steals per game and is hitting at a 32.9 percent clip from downtown.
His stat line isn’t too far off from what he averaged at MSU during his senior season from 2011 to 2012, when he posted 16.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks.
Izzo said he talks to Green regularly and poked fun at him when Green managed to pull down just one rebound in a win against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday, calling it “un-Michigan State.”
“He said he didn’t help that he had a seven footer on his back all night,” Izzo said. “I laugh because nobody else would get that, but that’s Draymond. He’s guarding a seven-footer one night, he’s guarding a two guard one night. That’s what I’m trying to show (Branden) Dawson on how versatility works.”
Green has won fans and coaches over with his passion and leadership, but Izzo occasionally has to tell him to reel it in. But Izzo believes Green will become the poster child for playing basketball the right way.
“He just has to continue on the pattern he’s on and I remind him of that every day,” Izzo said. “Don’t get too mad at an official or a coach sometimes. He’s just unbelievable and he stays up so much on our guys and with us. Day Day is a diamond in the rough, and I mean a diamond in a big rough. And he’s a special guy”
