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Draymond Green donates record $3.1 million to MSU athletics

The donation will help fund renovations at Breslin Center, including a new strength and conditioning center, a Hall of History, a NBA/Alumni locker room and a recruiting lounge

September 10, 2015
Senior forward Draymond Green celebrates after making a successful shot. Florida State forward Okaro White attempts to stop the ball. The Spartans defeated the Florida State Seminoles, 65-49, Wednesday night at Breslin Center. Justin Wan/The State News
Senior forward Draymond Green celebrates after making a successful shot. Florida State forward Okaro White attempts to stop the ball. The Spartans defeated the Florida State Seminoles, 65-49, Wednesday night at Breslin Center. Justin Wan/The State News —
Photo by Justin Wan | and Justin Wan The State News

Former MSU forward Draymond Green wanted to give back to the place that made him the player he is today.

In a press conference with head coach Tom Izzo, athletic director Mark Hollis and school president Dr. Lou Anna K. Simon on Thursday, Green announced he has donated $3.1 million to MSU athletics towards the men's basketball program.

It is the largest gift ever given to the university from a student-athlete, eclipsing Earvin "Magic" Johnson's $3 million donation toward the Spartan Stadium North Endzone renovation.

A million dollars of the donation will go towards a renovation of Breslin Center that will include a new strength and conditioning center, a new entrance, a Hall of History, a NBA/Alumni locker room and a recruiting lounge.

Green said he and Izzo have had the idea for a new strength and conditioning center for a while. Green talked about the familiar bonds he formed at MSU that helped him grow from boy to man, and said he wanted to give back similarity to previous athletes who have made major donations in recent years, including Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Steve Smith and Flozell Adams.

"When you look at those guys -- obviously, I'm big into my Michigan State history, and those guys, I followed all of them," Green said. "To be placed in that category with them, I mean I never imagined my name being anywhere where it's been placed in Michigan State history. But to join that group in that category was special to me."

Green, a recent NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, grew into one of the best players Izzo has coached during his four-year career at MSU. In 2012, Green was named the NABC National Player of the Year and was a First-Team All-American.

Pending approval from the Board of Trustees, The Draymond Green Strength and Conditioning Center at Breslin Center will be named in Green's honor.

Part of the gift will also fund scholarships and an endowment for the program. 

Green said it is his job to uphold the "student" part of "student-athlete," adding that as a Saginaw native, he wouldn't have had the funds to attend college without the help of a scholarship.

"Coming from Saginaw, I know how important it is to have a scholarship," Green said. "As much as my dad works, he couldn't afford to send me to college. As much as my mom works, she couldn't afford to send me to college. So a scholarship is what got me through. A scholarship is what got me here, and I want to be in a position to help someone else with that."

The donation will go towards MSU athletic's $262 million goal for the Empower Extraordinary campaign.

"What you know is when you want to have something extraordinary it starts with people, and we're here to recognize an individual who we all know in a variety of ways, but has made a significant statement about Michigan State and about the capacity to Empower Extraordinary," president Simon said. 

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