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Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, 27, has become an NBA All Star and now a household name. He is currently playing in the NBA Finals with his team, trying to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Warriors currently lead the series 3-1.
The 6’7″ athlete has played for the Warriors since 2012. He has the support of his family, especially his mom, Mary Babers-Green, who has been cheering him on since day one.
Here is what you need to know:
1. Draymond Green’s Mother Is Mary Babers-Green
Babers-Green is a middle school campus supervisor in Saginaw, Michigan. After splitting from Raymond Green, Draymond’s mother raised her three children as a single parent.
“They had curfew, stuff like that. I was pretty strict at times,” she told SF Gate back in 2015. She spoke about one time in particular when Draymond cheated on a science test in the ninth grade.
“I had to stick to my guns. If he struggled, it would come back on me. School was more important than basketball. No one wants to deal with a dumb athlete. He was big, black, and a man. That’s three strikes against him,” she said.
Babers-Green is very supportive of her son and has been known to tweet during his games. She has over 23,000 followers on Twitter. Her energetic tone on social media was so vocal it even led Draymond to delete his mom’s account.
“He deleted it. He said ‘you have no chill, you can’t get on here, you’ll say the first thing’s that come to your mind,'” she told the media in June 2015.
Babers-Green has been at it through the NBA Finals, but seems to have calmed down over the years. However, she’s till not afraid to call anyone out.
2. Raymond Green Is Draymond’s Step-Father
Draymond’s biological father is Wallace Davis, but he took his step-father’s last name. Raymond Green and Draymond’s mother got a divorce when Draymond was 12.
3. Draymond Has 2 Brothers & 3 Sisters
Draymond’s older brother, Torrian Harris, played college basketball for Nebraska-Omaha from 2009 to 2011 and was named to MIAA All-Defensive Team. His other brother is Braylon Green. His three sisters are LaToya Barbers, Jordan Davis, and Gabby Davis.
In 2015, Green opened up about growing up in Saginaw with his brothers and sisters.
“Well I’m from Saginaw, Michigan, you know? I know what hard times are like. I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth. I’ve had struggles. I remember times when our lights and our water got cut off. I remember when our house was foreclosed on. And I remember that when all that was going on, my mom couldn’t afford Christmas presents. I remember those times when it wasn’t Draymond Green who signed an $82 million contract. So to be in a position to help other families out to have a good Christmas, it means a lot to me. Everybody deserves a chance, everybody deserves to have those special moments with their family members. I like to see smiles on people’s faces, the appreciation that they show. Those are special moments for me,” he told Esquire.
4. Green Is Dating Jelissa Hardy
Green met Jelissa Kay Hardy, 28, back in college — the two both attended Michigan State. Hardy graduated with an English degree while Draymond graduated with a communications degree. Like Draymond, she is a former high school basketball player, though she had to leave the sport due to a back injury, according to BET.
Green and Hardy welcomed a child together last year (see below). Hardy also has a daughter, Kyla Dior, from a previous relationship. Green is thought to be very close to Kyla.
5. Green Welcomed His Son, Draymond Jr., in 2016
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOVXXz_AKXr/
Green was forced to miss Golden State’s 117-101 win at Brooklyn back in December 2016 due to the birth of his son. Draymond Jamal Green was born on December 22, 2016, at 3:55 a.m.
Green shares pictures of his son on Instagram every now and then. Fans seem to love to see baby Green growing up — he’s already five months old.