Former DPOY reveals when Draymond Green made his feelings clear on ill-advised plan of returning to alma mater

Draymond Green plays the enforcer role for the Golden State Warriors. However, a softer side of him was revealed by former DPOY Jaren Jackson Jr. on Friday's episode of "The Young Man And The Three."

Jackson shared how Green played a significant role in convincing him to leave Michigan State and enter the NBA draft in 2018. Jackson considered returning for his sophomore season, but a phone call from Green, a former Spartan, changed his mind.

"I signed up for stuff for sophomore year," Jackson said. "Like I was coming back to school until I realized like, what was what. Like I had never seen a mock draft until, like, probably had one game left in the Big 10 season.

"And then that's how I met Draymond. I had never talked to him and then he gets my number from somebody. Some guy just calls me and he's just like, 'How high do you want to go? Idiot. "I was like 'OK' and yeah, I'm out of there."

The relationship between the two extends beyond that career-defining phone call. As former Spartans, Green has supported him throughout his NBA career.

Green, like Jackson, is a former DPOY, winning the award in 2017 when he led the league in steals and played a key role in the Warriors' championship run. Jackson won the award in 2023 as he averaged 18.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 3.0 blocks per game.

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Draymond Green apologizes to former teammate and rival

Draymond Green apologized to Jordan Poole when he replied to a tweet from Andscape's Marc J. Spears after the Warriors' 122-114 win on Saturday.

“I love those guys over there. I love most of those guys over there," Wizards guard Jordan Poole said on his former Warriors teammates," Spears tweeted.

"I really am sorry," Green commented.

Green punched Poole in the face during a Warriors practice in October 2022. Poole then left to join the Washington Wizards and is averaging 21.9 ppg and 4.8 apg this season.