Draymond Green had to hijack Stephen Curry’s ‘Operation Goat’ to pay homage to a player he grew up idolizing.
Throughout past weeks, Curry has donned various jerseys of Warriors legends prior to games and after them. Curry has called this “Operation GOAT” to pay respect to the legends of Oracle in the arena’s final year.
Green didn’t know Curry had the idea, but when the Warriors power forward showed up to practice one day and saw the jerseys hanging in the locker room, Green snatched his favorite one: Jason Richardson’s.
After the Warriors beat the Denver Nuggets, 116-102, Tuesday night, a peppy Green told the story of taking Curry’s Richardson jersey.
“This is the only one I am wearing,” Green said. “I got respect for all those guys that came before me, but this was the one I really wanted to wear. Obviously, the thing with Steph’s idea, and I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s dope!’ Then I walked in the locker room at the practice facility one day before Steph got there. It’s always good to be the first one at the gym. So, I walked in, and he had all the jerseys hanging up in his locker, and I quickly went to snatch this one. So, I stole it, and I got away with it.”
There are several parallels between Green and Richardson. Both grew up in Saginaw, Michigan. Both went to Michigan State and played with the Warriors. Both wore the No. 23.
Green, nine years younger than Richardson, was inspired by the former Warrior, among others who made it out of the same neighborhood.
“I feel good wearing this jersey, obviously being a kid growing up in Saginaw, watching (Richardson) make it out was big for me and my confidence and my belief,” Green said. “(Richardson), (former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker) LaMarr Woodley, all those guys, watching them. Then, to come full circle, J Rich at Michigan State, 23, Warriors, 23. It felt good to put this one on today.”
