Draymond Green isn't one to shy away from the truth, so he can appreciate when others are the same.
That was what the Warriors forward got from NBA legend Jerry West, who died peacefully at home Wednesday morning at age 86.
Green, who spent the first five seasons of his NBA career with West as he served as an executive board member with Golden State until 2017, reflected on the special relationship he had with "The Logo" and shared what he appreciates most from the irreplaceable bond.
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"One of the most clutch players ever. Was a pioneer of the sport -- and I had the opportunity to know him personally," Green said on "The Draymond Green Show." "And he was such an incredible person, an incredible man. I think what I appreciate about him the most is that you're getting the truth, whether you like it or not -- you're getting the truth. He always was a big supporter of me and I always have been appreciative of that, and yet he was also extremely critical of me.
"He'd voice that support to others, and he'd be critical of me to others. He voiced that support to me, and he'd be critical of me to me. I always appreciated it because number one, to have a conversation with The Logo, to ever even have that conversation was always special to me. That's the guy we grew up like, 'That's The Logo.' It's self-explanatory. We all see it. We all know the badge. That's the logo."
West was an NBA champion, an NBA Finals MVP, an Olympic gold medalist and the inspiration behind the league's iconic logo. He began his historic pro basketball career in 1960 and influenced the game of basketball for eight decades, winning nine championships as a player, scout, coach, executive and consultant.
Golden State Warriors
The Los Angeles Lakers selected West with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1960 NBA Draft, and he spent his entire Hall of Fame playing career with the purple and gold. He averaged 27 points on 47.4 percent shooting, with 5.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists, in 932 games through 14 seasons.
West was a 14-time NBA All-Star, 12-time All-NBA pick and five-time All-Defensive selection, but his impact went beyond those accolades.
Green -- and the Warriors' success and domination of the league over the last decade -- is proof of that.
"Number two, to be willing to support me, to coach me up in a sense, to give me advice, to stand up for me and to give his love to me, I will always be appreciative of that," Green continued. "To have him around the Warriors organization the time that we had him, you could feel his voice. You could always feel his presence. His presence in that organization was huge. Any time you can have one of the best ever around, the things that you just pick up, the knowledge that you pick up, the weight that his voice carried, I think that it was a huge help to everybody.
"It was one of the reasons that we had the success that we had. Having Logo around was huge because you get all the expertise. ... To have his demeanor around was huge. He took no s--t from anybody. He'd tell you in a heartbeat, 'Y'all some idiots. You guys don't know.' Someone who holds you responsible the way he did, you can't replace those people in your life. Those people, they're invaluable. So I'm extremely appreciative of my relationship with Logo [and] the times we've shared."
Green definitely took in that demeanor, and for as long as Green is a member of the Warriors organization, it won't go anywhere.
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