Draymond Reveals His Thoughts About Being Used As a Small-Ball Big

Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors changed the game of basketball. It’s not just their dominance in the 2010s that will leave a mark on basketball forever, but the Warriors were one of the teams to popularize and utilize small-ball lineups effectively. 

Before the Warriors, the idea of starting a 6-foot-6 guy at center was just unheard of. Steve Kerr and Draymond Green changed that. 

The Warriors had incredible success playing Draymond at the five, making them smaller but also more agile and defensively versatile than their opponents. While Draymond didn’t always start games at center, he often ended them there. Draymond has played tons of minutes at the five throughout his career, putting strenuous minutes on his body.

That’s why some people believe Draymond’s time playing center should be coming to a close. Heavy minutes at the five for someone of his size and age are too much to sustain.

Draymond recently spoke about the idea of what position he will play more this season. 

“Whatever helps this team, whatever puts us in the best position to win, that’s what I’m going to do…Playing the five isn’t always about the size, it's about the size of the heart, and I think my heart is as big—if not bigger—than anyone’s in the league…I’m not putting no huge emphasis on whether I play the four or the five. In life, we all have, ideally, what we would like. I have ideally what I think it would look like. But I also know that I play a team sport, and in playing a team sport, what may be best for you personally or what you think is best, if that’s not best for the team, then you’re being selfish. And I take pride in not being selfish.”

While Draymond didn’t reveal whether he would prefer to play the four or the five, it sounds like he is ready to do whatever it takes for the Warriors to win. Something he has always done.