How Dallas Passed on Draymond Green Four Times in 2012 NBA Draft

With the NBA Finals well underway, the MVP of the series is not a former league MVP, but most likely second round pick, Draymond Green.

Prior to the 2012 draft, the Golden State Warriors had just drafted Klay Thompson the year before and was battling through injuries with second year point guard Stephen Curry. The Andrew Bogut–Monta Ellis trade had yet to take place and the Warriors finished with just 23 wins on the season.

Entering the draft, Golden State was ready to add young talent with the 7th, 30th, 35th, and 52nd pick in the draft.

With the 7th pick, Golden State took Harrison Barnes out of North Carolina and with the 30th pick in the first round they selected Festus Ezeli out of Vanderbilt.

It was with the 35th pick in the draft that the Warriors selected Draymond Green out of Michigan State University. One of the better second round picks of the past decade.

Green was a four-year player under Tom Izzo at Michigan State that didn’t have a break out year until his senior season where he averaged over 16 points and 10 rebounds a game in the Big Ten. Although he was Big Ten Player of the Year, Green was still tremendously undersized for the power forward position as some people had him listed at 6’7″-6’8″.

Four years later, Green has found himself as a NBA Champion (maybe two-time soon), All-Star, and integral part of a record-setting 73 win season in Golden State. He also cashed in on a 5-year, $82 million dollar contract this past summer.

And he could have been a Dallas Maverick…four times.

The Dallas Mavericks went into the 2012 NBA Draft with the 17th pick in the draft. With this first round pick, the Mavericks opted to select North Carolina big man, Tyler Zeller, who would be shipped in a draft day trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Instead of the trade, Dallas could have selected Green at this point, even though it would have been considered a reach.

By trading the 17th pick, Dallas moved down eight spots to the 24th pick while also picking up the 33rd and 34th picks in the second round; all coming from Cleveland.

With the 24th pick, Dallas selected Jared Cunningham out of Oregon State who played a total of eight games for the Mavericks. This was the second time Dallas passed up on Green.

With the 33rd pick, and probably the most painful pick, was big man Bernard James. James played three seasons with the Mavericks and is no longer in the league. This was the third time Dallas had passed over Green.

The fourth and final time Dallas passed over Green was when they selected Jae Crowder with the 34th pick in the second round. Crowder ended up being the best player out of the first two and is still making his mark with the Boston Celtics.

Next: Second Round Wing Prospects for the Dallas Mavericks

Many teams who picked above the 35th pick have probably all expressed their regret since that time, but no team can say they passed up on Mr. Green four times like the Dallas Mavericks.