The Warriors drafted Draymond Green in the second round of the 2012 NBA draft with pick No. 35. In other words, 34 players heard their names called on draft night before it was finally Green’s turn to take the stage.
Looking back, Green’s career has far outlived expectations, and he hasn’t forgotten the players who were picked ahead of him in 2012. Of those 34 players, however, Green identified the player who he feels it was “most ridiculous” to be drafted after during an appearance on Paul George’s podcast, Podcast P.
“The most ridiculous? Which one? I mean s---…Listen not to throw salt at anybody but Andrew Nicholson was drafted over me at No. 19. Like you don’t even know how to pronounce his school [St. Bonaventure],” said Green.
Nicholson was drafted at No. 19 by the Magic. He played four seasons in Orlando from 2012 to ’16 before spending the ’16–17 season with the Nets and Wizards. That was his final season in the NBA.
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The Warriors even picked two players before selecting Green at No. 35. Golden State selected Harrison Barnes at No. 8 and used its second pick of the first round to draft Festus Ezeli at No. 30.
“I always tell people when it comes to winning, half the battle is looking like a basketball player. When you’re on a team and you look at the other side of the floor and you see guys that don’t look like basketball players, you automatically lose respect for those guys. So I’m like, this guy doesn’t even really look like a basketball player,” said Green of Nicholson. “Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t really have the body of Adonis but I just don’t see that. That was one that really really really really pissed me off! There are several others that went before me but that was the one.”
Since sliding into the second round in the draft, Green has gone on to win four NBA championships, make four All-Star teams and has earned eight selections to the NBA’s All-Defensive Team.
