Draymond Green finished Monday night’s 113-98 win over the Sacramento Kings by recording his first triple-double of the season. But for the first few minutes of his postgame press conference, Green didn’t answer questions about himself. No, he was talking about the experience of having his son Draymond Jr. on the sideline, helping out director of team operations Eric Housen.
As dad dissected the Kings, 4-year-old DJ helped out the Warriors as a towel boy and got his first reps with the equipment team. DJ was easy to spot darting up and down the sideline in his red T-shirt all night.
“He was Johnny on the spot with the towels,” Green said. “Running to the table, picking up shirts, bringing guys their stuff. I did see a little video back there of him handing shirts to Klay [Thompson] and not Cheese [Chris Chiozza] but other than that, I thought he was fantastic. Well-behaved. He stayed out the way and got in there when he needed to get in there, scooped the towels up. It was great.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr has long promoted a family-first atmosphere while at the helm of the franchise. DJ has been spotted at Warriors practices this year helping assistant Bruce Fraser and Stephen Curry but this in-game experience was next level.
“This organization is amazing,” Green said. “To allow him – coach Kerr and E-Housen – to allow him to sit there and help. You miss so much doing this job. Those are the moments where it’s all worth it. For him to have that experience, it’s special. I don’t take that for granted. Coach Kerr doesn’t have to allow that to happen. So I’m very appreciative of that. I can’t give him that experience doing anything else if I wanted to.”
DJ also got great reviews from Kerr and Green’s teammates.
“I thought DJ was really solid,” Kerr said. “His hustle up and down the sidelines was very impressive. He’s got a lot to learn, though. He’s a young guy and we’ve got to give him more reps.”
“Lil Dray, DJ, tonight he was amazing,” Payton said. “Helping out every way he can, made a couple big plays in the second half. Shoutout to DJ.”
Earlier this season, Green said his children were a major reason why he was playing inspired basketball to begin the campaign. Green said he wanted to prove to his young kids that he’s still one of the best players in the league.
“For him and my oldest daughter, Olive, to see that and understand that, ‘OK, he can play a little bit,’ it is motivation for me,” Green said. “Because I know I have not given for them to see what they should. It’s definitely motivation and it gives that boost for sure.”
Listen to Bay Area sports talk now on Audacy and shop the latest Warriors team gear
In Monday night’s contest, he only needed three quarters to record a triple-double. He finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, two blocks and two steals. Green also recorded a triple-double in a May play-in game against the Memphis Grizzlies – but those numbers are lost in basketball statistic purgatory – so this is his first official triple-double since May 11 last season against the Phoenix Suns.
Green finished 7-of-11 from the floor and said he felt the need to contribute more scoring with the absences of Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. It marked the third time all season he attempted double-digit shot attempts and he was one shy of his season-high of 12.
“I think I did a pretty good job,” Green said. “I still had some where I could have been a little more aggressive. But overall, I thought it was good. I gotta stay that way as long as those guys are out. Just continue to attack the rim and take shots when they’re there. We’re missing a lot with those two guys out.”
Try as he might, the night belonged to his son, though.
So, would DJ be getting a small paycheck for his shift Monday?
“Absolutely not,” Green said with a smile. “He don’t get no money for that. No sir. Come put some work in. Everything isn’t a paying opportunity and this definitely wasn’t. No sir. If somebody gives him money for that I’ll take it.”
