Denzel Valentine would like to play with Warriors, Draymond Green
By Brandon Ogle
With the NBA Draft coming up on June 23rd, we take a look at where Denzel Valentine might be interested in landing
Although Denzel Valentine’s career at East Lansing ended on a disappointing loss to 15-seed Middle Tennessee State, his entire time as a Spartan shouldn’t be understated. He took significant steps forward in each of his four years and capped it off with a senior campaign that saw him become a first team All-American.
On Friday night prior to the College Basketball Awards Show, Valentine was asked where he sees himself fitting in. While he acknowledged he’d be happy to be on any NBA team, his first choice would be the reigning NBA Champion Golden State Warriors.
According to 247 Sports, Valentine told ESPN anchor Cari Champion, “If I had to choose, it wouldn’t hurt to play with Draymond over there with the Warriors.”
Of course, it’s tough to blame Valentine for this decision. For one, the Warriors are prime-time TV every time they take the court as they pursue the best NBA record of all-time. Additionally, their up-tempo and small ball playing style fits Valentine’s game perfectly, as he showed consistently the ability to handle the ball in transition and capitalize on open opportunities. Lastly, as he mentioned, it would allow him the opportunity to team up with a fellow Spartan Draymond Green.
Denzel Valentine will likely go in the latter half of the first round, which could be a steal for an NBA team looking to add a player whose shown the ability to be a leader on and off the court. Whether that will be the Warriors or someone else, we’ll have to wait til June 23rd to find out.
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