“Draymond is the teammate that I dream about” — Allen Iverson heaps praises on Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green
Allen Iverson and Draymond Green
© Kyle Terada and John Hefti - USA TODAY Sports
Draymond Green is one of the most polarizing players in league history. You either love him or hate him. But Allen Iverson expressed that he's one of those who have a great liking for the Golden State Warriors forward's game. In fact, the NBA legend, who appeared in the first episode of former teammate Vernon Maxwell's podcast, stated that he would've wanted to be on the same team as Green.
"Draymond is the teammate that I dream about," said the one-time MVP. "He's that teammate. He's the nuts and bolts guy. He's going to do it all, you know what I mean? Not a selfish bone in his body. I love Draymond. I would love to have had an opportunity to play with him."
Draymond's value
Throughout his career, Green has often been maligned by a lot of people because of his relative lack of production. His career averages are 8.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game, and he has also been chipping in 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks per contest.
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However, raw numbers cannot show the 11-year star's true value. He has been an anchor for the Warriors offense and defense through their four title runs. While Andre Iguodala, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry earned the Finals MVP awards during those seasons, an argument can be made that Golden State wouldn't have four championship banners up in the rafters without Green.
Stats may not show it, but there is no doubt about how he impacts winning, as coach Steve Kerr said.
What if AI had a Dray?
Unfortunately for "The Answer," he never had the opportunity to play with someone like the Warriors forward. To be fair, Green is a one-of-a-million kind of player.
But what if the Philadelphia 76ers legend had played with a hoopster of the four-time All-Star's caliber? Would he still be on the list of the best NBA players without a ring?
It's hard to say, given that he ran into a scorching Los Angeles Lakers team in the 2001 Finals. Remember that Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and company did not drop a single game in that year's playoffs until Iverson's heroics helped Philly escape with an overtime victory in Game 1 of the championship round. The Lakers then reeled four consecutive wins to eliminate the Sixers.
Even so, AI's legacy is intact - even without an NBA title.
