Not everyone wants to be Like Mike. OK, so I’m sure everyone wants to be like Michael Jordan, but there are also those out there trying to be like Draymond Green.
The Warriors’ three-time NBA All-Star has been dubbed the guy that holds the team together, something Spencer Dinwiddie wants to emulate in working with Brooklyn Nets teammate Kyrie Irving and former Warriors star Kevin Durant.
“Obviously, we don’t know who’s going to start, who’s coming off the bench," Dinwiddie said on ESPN's "The Jump" this week (H/T Clutch Points). "That’s with KD and Kyrie excluded, of course. But really with all of this being formed, I view myself, if we’re going with the Golden State model, as the Draymond Green, the glue."
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Draymond, despite sharing the same court as superstars Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, often is viewed as the “heartbeat of the Warriors.” And not just because he makes his presence known with his voice, but the leadership he shows, and the way he connects with rookies and tries to help them understand everything that’s going on.
Dinwiddie also will try and embrace that role with Durant, who was traded to the Nets for D’Angelo Russell, Treveon Graham, Shabazz Napier last July. The Warriors sent a 2020 first-round draft pick to Brooklyn, but because it was top-20 protected, Golden State kept the pick, which ended up being the No. 2 overall selection in next month's draft.
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Dinwiddie played well this past season, averaging 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per game, helping the Nets reach the playoffs. Unfortunately for Dinwiddie and the Nets, he couldn’t participate in the bubble after he contracted the coronavirus.
You can tell Dinwiddie is embracing the Draymond role with even how his name is being mentioned in trade talks.
He knows it’s a part of the business, despite his performance in 2020. And while he looks to be a guy to come off the bench in 2021, that could be a very interesting offense to watch with him, KD and Irving.