“My mom was making $17K a year… Wow, we really were poor”- Draymond Green opens up on his mom's struggles before he was drafted, discloses he had a challenging upbringing

Draymond Green has come a long way since his days in Saginaw, Michigan. The four-time All-Star is coming off a season that saw the Golden State Warriors reclaim their place atop the league. Ahead of the new season, Green couldn't help but reflect on how far he's come over the course of his illustrious career.

Green is currently in the third year of a four-year contract worth nearly $100 million. For a player who was raised off of $17,000 a year, the situation couldn't be more surreal.

Green spoke on a recent episode of the "Checc-N-In" podcast about some wise advice his accountant passed on during his rookie season:

“My rookie year, my accountant said ‘Hey, you should claim your mom on your taxes’. … I had to find out how much money she made. My mom was making $17K a year. I said, ‘Wow, we really were poor.’ She never let me see that.”

Heading into the season, it will be hard for Green to ignore the looming decision he faces next offseason. He'll be able to exercise the fourth-year player option in his contract. While it's no secret that Green is expected to opt in, the Warriors' performance this season could determine his decision.

If he decides to re-sign for less money, this would leave the team with more cap space to sign impactful players. This is how the Philadelphia 76ers signed P.J. Tucker after James Harden opted out of his contract to re-sign for less money.

Can Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors go back-to-back?

Draymond Green and Steph Curry celebrate after winning the 2022 NBA Finals.

Last season saw Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green return to their former glory as champions. Following a historic run between 2015 and 2019, the Warriors were hampered by injuries over the next two seasons. Curry played in just five games in 2019-20. Thompson missed that season and the next.

Green was the odd man out. Despite periods where he dealt with injuries, the veteran remained mostly healthy. The team understandably failed to compete during this period. However, Green developed his playmaking abilities and averaged a career-high 8.9 assists in 2020-21.

While Draymond Green's shooting numbers have dropped off in the past few years, his playmaking skills remain the same. If the Golden State Warriors are to have any chance of winning it again next season, they need Green to be at his best. Curry and Thompson might go off on any particular night, but Green is the engine that keeps the team running.