2012 NBA Draft: Drafting Michigan State's Draymond Green Would Have Been Great PR Move by Detroit Pistons
COMMENTARY| Selecting Michigan State star Draymond Green in the 2012 NBA Draft would have been a huge PR move for the Detroit Pistons.
I'll admit it, I've been a Green-to-Detroit supporter. I even presented a valid argument in a past column, sound enough that the Detroit Free Press thought enough of my opinion to mention it online and in print (I bought a Freep that day).
Green, the 2012 Big Ten Player of the Year, would have been a throwback to the "Bad Boys," I wrote -- and he would have been. There aren't many players that have worked as hard as Green. Those "Bad Boys" were pure hustle. The comparison fit.
But, as fate would have it, the Golden State Warriors used the 35th pick of the draft to take Green, shattering my dream in the process. Once he fell out of the first round, I figured there was an outside, but somewhat realistic shot that he'd land in Detroit.
Either way, good luck in the Bay Area, Day-Day.
Green is huge among basketball followers in Michigan. He worked out with the Pistons prior to the draft, too. Both promising signs, I thought -- even Jordan Dumars, son of Pistons president Joe Dumars, was at Green's draft day party, according to a Facebook post published by ABC TV-12's Ryan Slocum.
Tom Izzo, Jerel Worthy, Brandon Graham, Jordan Dumars, Bennie Fowler, Deshonte Riley, Dane Fife and others in the house at Draymond Greens draft party, Slocum wrote
Jordan Dumars' presence was enough to get this conspiracy-driven mind of mine thinking again. But the two are good friends, so it makes sense that he was there to support his buddy.
But as the 32nd and 33rd picks were made, I started to believe it was going to happen.
Although the Warriors are getting a great player, Green could have done wonders for the Pistons. He has enormous in-state popularity. And if the selection of UConn's Andre Drummond wasn't enough to pull fans in, perhaps seeing one of Michigan State's best would have been enough to draw the Michigan State crowd.
The Pistons could have milked that for all it's worth. The possibilities of marketing the team, re-branding it, like owner Tom Gores has talked about, would have been nearly limitless with Green on board. Detroit could use a hometown flavor, a boost from one of the state's best-known hoopsters.
Just think about it: Day-Day poster night, Spartans-themed intros, "Dancing Bears" at halftime, a grand debut in front of adoring fans. It would have been great. But it wasn't meant to be -- can't say I didn't try.
Adam Biggers has followed NCAA and NBA basketball for over 20 years, specifically the Michigan State Spartans and Detroit Pistons. He can be found on Twitter @AdamBiggers81.
