The NBA’s coaches have spoken. Draymond Green is an All-Star for the fourth time in his career.
Despite being injured for the past three weeks, Green’s stellar start to the season earned him a reserve bid to the All-Star Game for the first time since 2018. Green was among the seven Western Conferences reserves voted in by the league’s 30 coaches Thursday.
Green, who recently became the NBA's first player-broadcaster, learned the news live on air on TNT from his former adversary Charles Barkley.
Later on Thursday, Green gave a detailed update about his injuries and said his All-Star bid was the culmination of a two-year plan he crafted after struggling in 2019-20.
With Green’s selection, the Warriors have three players heading to Cleveland. Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins have already been named starters for the game, which will feature team captains LeBron James and Kevin Durant holding a live draft next Thursday on TNT.
Green will be unable to play at the All-Star Game on Feb. 20 due to calf/back disc issues, so this is just a nice feather in his cap. Green has been playing inspired ball this year and helped Golden State jump out to a 29-9 record.
Draymond made a ceremonial start alongside Klay Thompson during his comeback game on Jan. 9 but tweaked his calf in warmups that evening. Days later, the Warriors issued a statement saying that Green’s calf issue was actually connected to a disc issue in his back. He is expected to be re-evaluated during the All-Star break.
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Green is averaging 7.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.4 assists in 34 games this season and is the chief facilitator of the Warriors’ offense when healthy. His defensive impact is harder to quantify, but he’s also averaging 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.
A month shy of his 32nd birthday, this has to be the most satisfying All-Star invitation Green has earned in his career. Earlier this season, he said he wanted to prove to his young children that he’s still an elite player and now he’s got the All-Star credentials.
West Starters
LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) [captain]
Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
Andrew Wiggins (Golden State Warriors)
Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies)
West Reserves
Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)
Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz)
Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)
Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz)
Chris Paul (Phoenix Suns)
Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves)
