Warriors’ Draymond Green named All-Star reserve, but won’t go to Cleveland
Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green joins Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins
as team's All-Stars
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 26: Draymond Green #23 of the
Golden State Warriors reacts during the first half of the game against
the Portland Trail Blazers at Chase Center on November 26, 2021 in San
Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 26: Draymond Green #23 of the
Golden State Warriors reacts during the first half of the game against
the Portland Trail Blazers at Chase Center on November 26, 2021 in San
Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
By SHAYNA RUBIN | srubin@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: February 3, 2022 at 4:20 p.m. | UPDATED: February 4, 2022 at
4:15 a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/02/03/warriors-draymond-green-named-all-star-reserve-but-wont-go-to-cleveland/

Draymond Green was announced as an All-Star reserve on Thursday.

Green makes his fourth All-Star game, his first since the 2018-19
season, selected as a reserve in a vote by all 30 NBA coaches. The
31-year-old won’t participate in All-Star weekend in Cleveland due to a
back injury that’s sidelined him since Jan. 9, he announced on TNT.

Green said the honor was “a special thing” considering his 2020-21
season was “the worst season” of his basketball career.

“I made it a goal to play good basketball and re-establish Draymond
Green as a good basketball player,” Green said. “I was 29 years old and
didn’t know I would become an All-Star again, but I knew if I wanted to
it would require me to put my head down and work the same way I put my
head head down and worked to become an All-Star the first time.

“I’m not going to sit here and lie to you and act like it’s no big deal,
it’s a really big deal in part due to a lot of people calling me out,
saying I’m washed up. I can’t shoot and the game is past me. No, I am an
All-Star. Making this All-Star game this year doesn’t make me an
All-Star. I was already an All-Star. I’m happy to prove it again,
because a lot of people doubted me and, to be honest with you, it made
me doubt myself. But I never stopped believing in myself.”

Green joins Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell,
Chris Paul and Karl-Anthony Towns as All-Star reserves in the West.

His teammates, guard Steph Curry and forward Andrew Wiggins, were voted
in as All-Star starters. Curry will make his eighth All-Star appearance
and Wiggins his first.

Green has been out since Jan. 9 rehabbing from a lower back injury
classified as left disc recovery. Green said he’s projecting to return
to action in three-to-four weeks, while acknowledging the timeline is
optimistic.

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Before the injury, Green was putting together a season worthy of
defensive player of the year consideration. His impact mostly felt off
the stat sheet as he directs his teammates and stifles opposing teams’
strongest players anywhere on the floor.

As the defense’s composer, Green helped make the Warriors defense the
best in the NBA in nearly every statistical category. Their 101.9
defensive rating prior to Jan. 9 was a league best.

--
Shayna Rubin | Oakland Athletics reporter