"He makes me and Steph tough" – Klay Thompson details Draymond Green's impact on Steph Curry, himself and their team

Draymond Green is one of the most important pieces to the Golden State Warriors, and his impact this season – as it has been in past seasons – is always greater than his individual statistics.

Consider that he's missed nine games this season, and one of the league's best teams clearly suffers when he's not on the floor. Golden State (32-12) is 3-6 in the nine games he's missed since Dec. 18.

His numbers, as usual, aren't eye-popping: 7.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. But his impact in mentality and basketball IQ has always been respected.

In a recent interview, teammate Klay Thompson talked about what makes Green, who is one of the favorites for the Defensive Player of the Year award, s0 valuable.

"He makes our team tough," Thompson said. "He makes me and Steph (Curry) tougher. You always want a player like Draymond on your side. "

It's been a remarkable career for Green, as his road to becoming an important franchise piece wasn't obvious. After being selected 35th overall in the 2012 draft, the hope was that Green could perhaps become a rotation player.

Since then, Green has transformed into one of the NBA's most versatile players. In his first nine seasons, he's been an All-Defensive team selection six times and an All-Star three times. He was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2016-17, when he led the team in steals. Most importantly, he was a key cog in the franchise's three NBA titles.

Thompson detailed how his teammate continues to be the engine that makes the Warriors go:

"He's such a great player; he can do everything. You can plug him anywhere on the floor, and he'll be effective. And to go from the 35th pick of the draft to where he's at now. Future Hall of Famer. It's one of the greatest success stories in the last 20 years ... got to be."

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Draymond Green thriving for Golden State

Golden State Warriors star forward Draymond Green continues to impress

While players such as Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry produce dazzling highlights, there's no denying the impact Draymond Green has had on Golden State's success. Green has made the Warriors tougher with his two-way versatility and ability to make an impact without scoring.

Thompson reiterated that Green makes life easier for himself and Curry with what he does nightly. As dangerous as the Warriors can be offensively, Green makes the team more complete when he's on the court.

Green has built a reputation as one of the NBA's top defensive players. He makes an impact with his awareness and ability to influence the game in a variety of ways. When Golden State has Green on the floor, there are a number of ways they can frustrate opponents.

Green is expected to miss at least two more weeks with calf soreness.