Draymond Green knows how important it is to grow up with a father. The Golden State Warriors star's biological father, Wallace Davis, was around until Draymond was 12 but left the family after agreeing to a divorce with his wife, Mary Babers, Green's mother.
Green didn't have much of a relationship with Wallace for a long time. However, he was appreciative that he was around when he was young. Here's what he told Andscape in a recent interview:
"I grew up with a father. I’m not someone who didn’t grow up with a father. I had some events that happened in my life that kind of shook that up for me. Say, age 12 or 13.
"But I would not disrespect guys who did not grow up with a father or man in their life. After 12, I lived in the house with my mom. Just her. But I grew up with a father, my grandfather, uncles. I grew up with some great men in my life."
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Several years after Wallace left, the future Warriors star lived with his mother alone. Babers then married Raymond Green, whose surname Draymond adopted. Regardless of the differences with his biological father, the four-time NBA champion revealed that he has an improving equation with him.
"It’s okay," said Draymond. "So, it’s good. For me, I think, that’s something that’s always going to improve and get better. But I don’t have no complaints."
Draymond Green's personal life has been private. His father or stepfather don't make public appearances at his games or elsewhere. However, Green's mother frequently cheered her son on during games.
Draymond Green is a great father himself
Draymond Green has learned the good bits the men in his life taught him. That can be seen through his behavior around his kids. The Warriors star has two children, son Draymond Green Jr., who he had with then-girlfriend Jelissa Hardy and daughter Cash Green, with wife Hazel Renee. He also has a stepdaughter,
Green reflected on the impact having men around him had in his young life and how he uses that as a father:
"Responsibility. Just watching how they operated and took responsibility for things that didn’t necessarily go their way. And never folding under any situation. Take responsibility.
"Stand up to whatever that situation is, and you got to figure it out. Good, bad, or indifferent. Stand up to that s**t. Own it. Stand on it. And for me, my mom as well. She stands on whatever it is that you say you did, stand on that."
Draymond Green reckons he's completely immersed himself into fatherhood. The Warriors star even claimed that he has no hobbies outside of basketball as he is so occupied with his kids. Green has ensured that he's around them as much as possible to help them grow into the best version of themselves.
From teaching his daughters to be independent to teaching his son how to be tough mentally, Green seems to be taking the right steps as a father.
Click here to read Draymond Green's interview with Andscape.
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