What Schröder said to make Draymond lock in mid-game vs. Grizzlies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Draymond Green highly values Dennis Schröder’s presence on the Warriors.
“Man, I love playing with Dennis on our team,” the Golden State forward said on the latest “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis,” which debuted this week. “He brings a feistiness that we need at the guard spot. He brings a demeanor that we need, an alpha male that doesn’t hurt anyone.”
Despite being new to the Bay, Schröder isn’t shy and already is a leader on and off the court.
Green shared an example from the Warriors’ 121-113 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Jan. 4 at Chase Center that exemplifies Schröder’s impact, particularly on the Golden State forward himself.
“[Schröder] said to me the other day in the Memphis game — I haven’t had a teammate say anything like that to me in years — he’s like, ‘Yo, yeah, keep talking to them. We at these boys. They ain’t cut like that.’ And I’m like, ‘You’re right, absolutely,’ ” Green told Davis. “He’s like, ‘But you’re talking to the refs too much. Talk to the Grizzlies. We’re talking to them, get off [those] refs.’ ”
The moment took Green aback.
A 13-year NBA veteran, he often doesn’t receive the sort of encouragement from his NBA colleagues that Schröder casually offered.
But boy, did Green sure love it.
“And I came back in the second half locked in,” Green told Davis. “And I hit [Schröder] after the game and I said, ‘Yo, I appreciate you saying that to me because it locked me in on what I needed to be locked in on. I’ll be honest with you, not many people would say that to me; I’m thankful for that.”
Green usually faces criticism for being spirited on the court. More often than not, the four-time NBA champion is told to reel in his emotions rather than be vocal — let alone loud — toward opposing players and even officiating crews.
However, Schröder toed the line with Green perfectly.
Schröder has fit in like a pro’s pro with Golden State throughout his first 15 games with the franchise. Green recognizes that isn’t easy, especially as a guard who was traded from the lowly Brooklyn Nets — who just lost by 59 to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday — to take the ball out of Warriors superstar Steph Curry’s grasp with championship aspirations in mind.
“People really don’t understand how hard it is to come to a team mid-season and take the ball out of Steph Curry’s hand intentionally,” Green told Davis. “Like, that was the goal, to find someone that can … At times, you can be out there and feel like you’re wrong, man. You’re on the court with Steph Curry, and it can feel a little wrong, it can mess with your head a little bit.
“[Schröder’s] starting to get over that, and we’re starting to see him get more aggressive. People don’t understand that side of it though. He’s starting to come around for us now. Like I said, I think he’s going to be really good for us.”
Golden State traded for Schröder to improve on-court results.
But an underlying positive of acquiring the 12-year journeyman is Schröder’s leadership and ability to steer his teammates, like Green, in the right direction, regardless of the accolades and legacies some players might have over the guard.
Schröder helping Green lock in against Memphis is a great example of how the Golden State guard impacts winning in ways the box score can’t acknowledge.
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