If you are a keen follower of the NBA, then you would have become quite familiar with the long-standing beef between Golden State Warriors’ star, Draymond Green, and retired Hall of Famer, Charles Barkley. Both men have taken shots at each other over the years and in April 2020, Green further inflamed things when he claimed that Barkley was jealous of his “success, money and championships”.
Not to be outdone, the Hall of Famer cheekily referred to his adversary as the worst member of a boy band who doesn’t realize that he is standing next to Justin Timberlake. Whilst the feud rages on, one thing has piqued people’s interest is the amount of wealth that Green has which has given him the bravery to confront a legend of the game.
Earning His Stripes In The School System
Before jumping into the NBA and acquiring a ton of fortune, Draymond Jamal Green was just a little boy who was born on March 4, 1990, in Saginaw, Michigan. He developed a keen interest in basketball as a child and was later discovered by his high school coach, Lou Dawkins. Green attended Saginaw High School where he held a 26-1 record and led them to the Class A State Championship. He also captained the Detroit Free Press All-State Dream Team and was rated the No 13 power forward as well as No 36 player in the ESPN 150. After high school, Green went to Michigan State University where he played college basketball.
In his freshman year at Michigan State, Green played 37 games for the Spartans with improved overall performance. The following year, he played 37 games for the Spartans and also became the first player in the school history to win the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year Award. He also won Michigan State University’s Most Improved Player of the Year Award the same year. Draymond Green became the third person after Charlie Bell and Magic Johnson to record a triple-double in Michigan State Men’s basketball. He also finished his college career as one of the three players of the school to reach 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
Getting His Deserved Rewards In The NBA
Following an impressive college career, Draymond Green was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the 2012 NBA Draft; signing a three-year contract, worth $2.6 million, with the franchise. This deal paid him about $850,000 per annum and the power forward proceeded to show his employers how grateful he was. He recorded an average of 2.9 points, 0.7 assists per game, and 3.3 rebounds per game as a rookie and in his second year, 2013, he upped the ante to 6.2 points, 1.9 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game. In 2014, Draymond contributed an astonishing 11.7 points, 3.7 assist, and 8.2 rebounds as the Golden State Warriors won the NBA championship in grand style.
His outstanding individual performance earned him the love of fans but most importantly, it led to an improved 5-year contract worth $82 million. This juicy deal paid the Michigan native $14.2 million in 2015, $15.3 million in 2016, $16.4 million in 2017, and $17.4 million in 2018. Given this steady increase in salary, one would ordinarily expect Draymond Green to also increase his output and he did not disappoint. The power forward recorded not less than 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists, 100 steals, and 100 blocks in 2015, and made history as the first NBA player to return such stats.
He continued with this impressive form in subsequent seasons and led the Golden State Warriors to consecutive NBA championships in 2016 and 2017. Following that back-to-back feat, the Golden State Warriors dipped hands into their pocket once more and rewarded Draymond with a four-year deal worth $100 million in 2019. Under the terms of the deal, the power forward will now earn his salary ranging from $20 to $27 million per annum. He has also earned around $90 to $100 million in salaries since joining the NBA.
A Look Into His Endorsement Deals
Besides his playing salaries, Draymond Green also gets a significant portion of his net worth from endorsement deals. The Warriors star has appeared in TV commercials for numerous companies and this marketability has puzzled many given the fact that he is not one of the most prolific scorers in the league. Experts, however, explain this phenomenon by pointing to his charisma, leadership skills, personability, as well as humble, and intelligent personality, all of which makes him attractive to big brands. Draymond, meanwhile, couldn’t care less about these analyses.
He is busy enjoying the benefits of sponsorship deals with companies such as Nike, Converse, Major League Fantasy, Smile Direct Club, Realtor.com, Beats by Dre, and Blink fitness. Draymond Green makes about $4 million each season. The NBA player now has a total net worth of $20 million and he is committed to spending his money wisely. Green avoids lavish spending and on the few occasions that he does splash out the cash, it is for a good purpose. For instance, in 2015, he donated $1 million to his alma mater to fund an endowment and improve athletic facilities at the college.
Draymond Green’s Fairy Tale That Never Was
In the world of sports, it is common for pro athletes to settle down with their college sweethearts but this is not the case with Green, and this fact has fetched him some flak. The Warriors star was previously in a long term relationship with his college girlfriend, Jelissa Hardy. Hardy is also a native of Michigan and holds a degree in English Language. She briefly worked as a model but has now turned her sights to other pursuits. Green and Hardy commenced their relationship while both were in college. At that time, Jelissa had a daughter named Kyla, and Green accepted her like his own.
The couple dated all through college and even after graduation in 2012, continued their romance. They subsequently expanded their family by welcoming son, Draymond Jr, in December 2016. Such a birth should have served to unify the family but this was not the case as Draymond broke up with Hardy just a few months after she gave birth for him. This fact did not go down well with people and many criticized him for ditching a girl who had helped him to pass his college studies. The NBA star, however, remained unfazed and was able to ride out the storm.
Meet The New Lady in Draymond Green’s Life
Draymond has now moved on and his new lady love is TV personality and actress, Hazel Renee. Hazel is a native of Kansas and was born in the year 1986. Her father is African-American while her mother is Filipino-Puerto Rican. Hazel, who is building a career in the entertainment industry, has appeared in several TV shows including season 3 of the hit FOX show, Empire. She has also featured in some reality TV series including The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Draymond and Hazel commenced their relationship in late 2017 but only went public in May 2018. Since then, Hazel has been spotted at several Warriors games cheering up her man. He has also responded in kind by posting heart-warming messages to her online.
The couple has also gone the extra mile by getting engaged on the 19th of January 2019. The elaborate engagement ceremony featured their loved ones including Draymond’s son from his relationship with Jelissa and Hazel’s daughter, Olive Jay, from a previous relationship. The actress, meanwhile, got an enormous princess-cut, 6-carats, diamond ring worth $300,000.
