Draymond Green Keeping The Warriors' Together

On a Monday morning in Tokyos chic Harajuku district, I meet three-time All-Star and three-time NBA champ Draymond Green outside a bustling train station.

- Sam Alipour

We stroll down the busy, bizarre and impossibly pink Takeshita Street, a shopping haven for the anime-inspired. Never one to shy away from contact, the Warriors’ Mr. Do-It-All peppers the locals with questions about fashion, etiquette and their ubiquitous electronic toilets, which can best be described as a spa for your butt. “It’s next-level,” he says, “but I’m scared to use the spray-up function.”

The residents of Tokyo seem happy to advise the 6-foot-7 tourist but are otherwise oblivious to him. Of the dozens of locals Draymond meets during the next three hours—while we shop, pop into an owl café, grab a sushi and sake lunch and stroll the grounds of the Meiji Shrine—only one seems to know who he is. Which means he and I have plenty of time to chat about the future of the Warriors and what it’s like being the heart, soul, muscle and mouthpiece of one of the best teams in history.

ESPN: One of my favorite bits about traveling is it gives you a fresh perspective on things back home.

GREEN: Absolutely. One thing I always take away from traveling is just be open to more stuff. I’m closed off in a bunch of ways. I always think my way is the best way. Hate being wrong. Steve [Kerr] will call a play, and I’m like, “No, let’s run this play.” Sometimes it works, but when it don’t, he’s livid. [Laughs] And just to be a prick, he calls his play.

And it works?

But I be hoping it don’t. [Laughs]

Steph Curry was asked on Bill Simmons’ pod for his favorite Draymond story. He pointed to your beefs with Steve Kerr at practice, which he called “amazing entertainment.”