Why Draymond is impressed by Steph's on-court growth, leadership

Why Draymond is impressed by Steph's on-court growth, leadership originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green is amazed at Steph Curry’s leadership development during their time with the Warriors.

Green recounted a moment during Golden State’s 121-116 NBA play-in tournament victory over the Memphis Grizzlies where Curry offered a critique and play suggestion.

“I said in my press conference, ‘Steph, in a very nice way, told me not to shoot,’ ” Green said on “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis.” “Steph would never say ‘don’t shoot,’ but that’s how I wanted to hear what he was saying.

“Pretty much what he was saying was, ‘I want you to get the ball in the same spot that you just got it.’ I don’t want you to take the shot, I want you to get me the ball so I can take the shot.’

“And we went right back to it, and he took the shot, and if you see when he made the shot, he turned to me and [screamed].”

The tandem has played together on the Warriors for 13 years, during which Green has noticed Curry become a much more vocal leader on the court.

“I was right here for that year where I felt like his career really started,” Green told Davids “So to watch the growth from that point and for him to come to me and be like, ‘Yo all right so just boom boom,’ we need to like that’s the growth that I’m most impressed by.

“Obviously, the shot-making, like all of that stuff, is incredible, but for me, I’ve seen it from the inside the entire time. Because that growth right there encompasses so many different areas, it encompasses his voice. You know he didn’t always have that voice right there.”

The 37-year-old has become known for his incredible shooting prowess and his ability to weave through opposing defenses with ease, something that leaves Green in awe to this day.

“All these years, that’s something that he grew into and the ability to read the defenses and see the floor,” Green explained. “He’s always been able to see the floor, but he sees the floor at such an elite level now, it’s crazy and the timeliness.

“So those are the areas of growth where people will see we have a certain connection on the court, right? That’s one of the ones where I’ll be sitting back like, wow. I’m amazed because I can remember those situations even seven years ago, five years ago, and he wouldn’t have said that.”

Curry turned in a resurgent second half of the regular season, with the Jimmy Butler trade rejuvenating the 37-year-old. His ability to nail clutch shots was on full display against Memphis as his 15-point scoring barrage in the fourth quarter was enough to hold off the Grizzlies.

Now, Green and Curry will turn their attention to a first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets. Expect more vocal leadership and unreal shooting from one of the NBA’s all-time greats.

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