The Golden State Warriors drafted Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli and Draymond Green in the 2012 draft hoping to bring the Warriors closer to the playoffs. Each player is able to bring something new to the Warriors.
[caption id="attachment_41" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Photo: Paul Sakuma / AP"]
[/caption]
At 6 feet 8 inches and 210 pounds Harrison Barnes was drafted as the 7th pick in the 2012 draft with the Golden State Warriors. Barnes is a small forward who hopes to start for the Warriors this 2012-2013 season; which is all anyone seems to be talking about right now. With the preseason starting next month the Warriors will soon be deciding whether he is good enough to start. Although, who is to say that Brandon Rush or Richard Jefferson won’t snag the spot first? Barnes is an exceptional athlete. His strength, size and athleticism make him a good fit for the Warriors. But with his strengths come weaknesses. Barnes isn’t a good facilitator. His ball handling skills are not refined enough to be able to be trusted as a ball handler for the Warriors this season. He also struggles on defense, which isn’t a good fit for the Warriors considering that they need a strong defense and are struggling in that department. Barnes is an exquisite shooter but he is not able to create his own shot. Barnes may struggle this year but as he gains experience during the season he will mature as a player and become a better fit for the Warriors.
Festus Ezeli, whose name is a challenge in itself, towers most at 7 feet tall and 265 pounds. The Warriors acquired Ezeli in the 2012 draft as the number 30 pick. He is a very physical player and his main goal is to protect the rim. Since Ezeli is so focused on protecting the rim, he is often not in the ideal rebounding position. Ezeli has to become a more consistent rebounder if he plans on stealing the back up center spot from Andris Biedrins. Although Biedrins has been AWOL lately, he still excels in rebounding and protecting the basket. With Ezeli’s aggressive tactics he will be vulnerable to falling into foul trouble early on in the games, which will limit his playing time. This season, fans should expect to see Ezeli play on the court although his minutes will be consistent, they will be limited.
Draymond Green has the Warriors organization in a tough position. Green stands at 6 feet 7 inches and 230 pounds. He is the perfect height for a small forward, but he is not fast enough to play the small forward position and he is too small to be playing a power forward. So where does he fit in? Don’t get me wrong, Green knows how to play and he plays very well. He is able to shoot well, averaging 16.7 points per game at Michigan State. His defense is notable and a player that is able to defend is something the Warriors have been on the look for as they have been lacking in the defense department. He is basketball smart and that is something that the Warriors need, especially from a rookie. Since Green is a second round pick they cannot expect too much from him as a star player, but he has shown during Summer League in Las Vegas that he is going to be a large contributor to the Warriors. Although as of now Green doesn’t have a permanent spot he is going to be playing, he is too good for the Warriors to give up. Green will be one of the big names this year for the Warriors.
The Warriors are trying to make it to the playoff run this year and these three draft picks will be vital to helping them achieve that goal.
Back to the Golden State Warriors Newsfeed