Draymond Green stands out as a unique figure in the NBA, and former All-Star Rasheed Wallace attributes Green’s on-court confrontations to his exposure to the 2003-2004 Detroit Pistons.
Wallace discussed his connection with Green on the “Gil’s Arena” show with Gilbert Arenas, emphasizing Green’s association with the championship-winning Pistons team. Green, a friend of the son of Detroit’s general manager, frequently spent time around the Pistons’ practices and locker room.
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“He grew up in our locker room. One of his best friends was the son of the GM, so he was around us (at) practice, in the locker room after games and before games,” said Wallace. “He heard the different language, and we all know it’s a different language when the cameras are not there. … That’s why he’s doing the bully s— he’s doing now, in my opinion. He caught all that s— in our locker room.”
Green, who has accumulated 19 ejections in his career, the second-highest in NBA history, may have been influenced by the culture of the Pistons’ team.
While it’s unlikely the sole reason for Green’s style, Wallace suggests that the exposure to the Pistons’ environment may have played a role in shaping Green’s approach to the game. Green’s willingness to do things his own way despite criticism has become a defining characteristic of his career.
