Klay Thompson, Draymond Green Voted in As All-Star Reserves

Draymond Green says he "had to keep from crying" when his mother broke the news.

Draymond Green thought, for the briefest of moments, he was hearing things, that his mother’s voice was in his head because surely she was not in his presence.

But Mary Babers-Green was indeed on the talkback line, and hers was the voice the Warriors' power forward heard Thursday afternoon, telling Draymond he had been named to the Western Conference All-Star team.

“I had to keep from crying,” Green said on a post-announcement conference call.

The 6-foot-7 forward is making his first All-Star appearance. Green and teammate Klay Thompson were selected among the seven reserves by a vote of coaches within the conference.

“It means a lot,” Green said Thursday on SportsTalk Live on CSN Bay Area. “Getting voted in as a starter would have been great, but when you’re talking getting voted in by the coaches . . . I love that. That’s even better. That’s (from) your peers. You’re playing against them, so that means they have some respect for what you do.”

Green, taken in the second round (35th overall) of the 2012 draft, is making his first appearance in the All-Star Game. His selection was expected – many believe he should have been a starter – insofar as he leads the NBA in triple-doubles (eight).

Moreover, Green consistently exudes energy in all pertinent ways – mental, physical and emotional. He is a “glue guy” supreme, precisely the type of player any coach would want on his team.

There has been no indication of complacency after Green last July signed a five-year extension worth $82 million. The 25-year-old has only gotten better and has become an irreplaceable part of a team winning at a historical pace.

“I’ve never played this game for individual success or for money,” Green said. “I play this game because I want to win championships. And you can never win enough of those. So until then, I’ll continue to have my edge and go hard every night.“

Green is averaging 14.5 points, third among the Warriors, while leading team in rebounds (9.4) and assists (7.2). He’ll join teammates Thompson and Steph Curry – Curry was named a starter by vote of fans – in Toronto for the festivities Feb. 12-14.

"I’m just looking forward to being a part of it. I’ve never been to an All-Star Weekend, so this is my first one. What a great time and opportunity to be going. What a great reason to be going. I’m looking forward to that.”

Copyright CSNBY - CSN BAY
Contact Us