Why new dynamic with Draymond reminds Paul of KG originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Chris Paul and Draymond Green have been battling for over a decade.
The two future Hall of Famers were arch rivals on the basketball court before becoming teammates overnight when the Warriors completed a shocking trade for the 38-year-old guard.
It’s a new twist to their relationship that was built on respect before rivalry. The new dynamic with Draymond reminds Paul of something he wanted to experience with one of basketball’s greatest bigs.
“When people ask me who is the one player I didn’t get to play with and wish I would have, I always say Kevin Garnett,” Paul said to reporters Sunday. “It’s because the first three times I played against KG, we both got double techs. We were about to fight every time, but it was because he was like-minded like me.
“I think that’s the way with Draymond. He competes just like I do. It’s going to be dope to see us now as teammates.”
Paul and Green have met three times in the NBA playoffs. Paul claimed the first postseason clash in 2014 when his Los Angeles Clippers defeated the young, up-and-coming Warriors in seven games in the first round. But the Warriors ended Paul’s season twice during his tenure with the Houston Rockets in the 2018 Western Conference finals and 2019 semifinals.
“All those years, I would be running around chasing Steph [Curry], and Klay [Thompson] would be guarding me,” Paul said Monday. “There’s a respect there.”
The former rivals now are teaming up to claim basketball’s ultimate prize, against all odds. It’s a new chapter in Paul’s career that he’s accepting with open arms.
Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast