Beware the Dancing Bear

Over the years, the Midwest has seen its share of unique players.

In the fifties, Cincinnati’s Oscar Robertson dominated college basketball as a 6’5 point guard. He was the first big guard in the game’s history, but he also dominated on the interior, going toe to toe with his era’s best big men. While scoring over 30 points per game, “The Big O” was also one of the nation’s best rebounders. He broke the mold of a conventional point guard by pulling down over 15 boards per game along with being the best playmaker in the country. His unfathomable versatility would lead the Bearcats to two Final Fours.

In the seventies, Earvin “Magic” Johnson starred as a 6’9 pure point guard. He dazzled with his unmatched grace and athleticism, leading his Michigan State Spartans to a national championship in 1979. Slender and sleek with the ball, his height gave him a realm of vision that had never been seen before in a point guard.

In the early 2000s, AJ Moye starred for the Indiana Hoosiers as a 6’4 power forward, amazing fans and shocking opposing players with his superb physical strength and impressive leaping ability. Moye would help the Hoosiers to a Final Four appearance, patrolling the paint as if he was 6’10 the entire way. Moye made up for his lack of height with impeccable positioning and unparalleled hustle and passion for the game.

The Dancing Bear

But just when we think we’ve seen it all, we’re introduced to Michigan State’s Draymond Green…the man they call The Dancing Bear.

A quick glance at the Spartan’s roster doesn’t give Green much justice.

He is listed as a 6’7 forward. There’s nothing all too unusual about that.

He weighs in at about 230lbs. It seems about the right size for one of Spartan head coach Tom Izzo’s typical bruisers.

Well, Draymond Green is one of those players that you have to see to appreciate.

The only thing harder than guarding Draymond Green…is finding someone to compare him to. Green is the size of a forward, and he plays like a forward as well. He bangs with the bigs in the post, and is extremely talented on the low block. So what makes him so different? Just wait until you see the big man in the open floor. That’s when you find out that this grizzly has a mean two-step. The Dancing Bear gives new meaning to the term point-forward. He’s more of a point-power forward. It’s quite typical for Green to snatch a defensive rebound out of the air and take off down the court, weaving his way through defenders before finding an open teammate for a layup.

As good as Green is in the post, he may be just as good operating in transition. His deft ball handling makes him a threat from the moment he controls a rebound, which is pretty often. In the Spartan’s season opener against top-ranked North Carolina, he had 18 of them.

What makes Green so special is that he is the ultimate example of versatility. He is not a guard playing in a forward’s body. He is an All-Big Ten forward…who can also bring the ball up the court like I guard. He plays his position, but has added an unprecedented element to it all at the same time. When Draymond Green is on the floor, there’s no need for an outlet pass, the fast break starts the moment he touches the ball.

At a school that once saw Magic Johnson play the point, one might expect Green’s talents to be less of an anomaly, but remember that while Magic was taller, he didn’t possess nearly the amount of girth that Green brings down the court.

Green has also exhibited the ability to be a facilitator in the half court offense. He is one of the country’s best post passers from both the high post and the low block, and he easily takes opposing forwards off the dribble from the wing position.

This year, The Dancing Bear is the big bear on campus, a senior leader to a group that Coach Izzo calls his least experienced team since he has been in East Lansing.

The Spartans only have one pure point guard on their roster. He is Brandon Wood, an incoming transfer who was most recently a star at tiny Valparaiso University in Indiana. Other guards may walk the ball up for the Spartans along with Wood, but Tom Izzo is probably aware of the fact that his best playmaker resides in the post. With Wood and the rest of the team lacking much experience, this could be a breakout year for Green.

It’s also possible that the breakout may have started last year for Green. In the Spartans’ first round NCAA Tournament loss to UCLA, The Dancing Bear recorded just the seventh official triple-double in tournament history, and the second of his career.

It seems that the secret surrounding Green is out. Don’t be fooled by the menacing physique, or the willingness to mix it up under the basket. As a senior, Draymond Green is a legitimate threat at all positions, and is still in the process of getting better. Green would like to become more consistent with his long range shooting, something that will help his potential as an NBA prospect. If that happens while he is still a Spartan, Green could be more than one of the best in the Midwest. He could be a potential All-American.

The Spartans are currently 0-2 this season, a result of tough opponents and young players, but better days are ahead for this year’s Michigan State team, and Draymond Green will be the reason for it. Just in case the word isn’t already out, The Midwestern Gentleman is putting the Big Ten on notice…

Beware The Dancing Bear.