Steve Kerr Spots Similarities between Rookie Eric Paschall and Draymond Green

The biggest positive for the Golden State Warriors in the game against Portland Trail Blazers has to be the performance of 23-year old rookie Eric Paschall.

Paschall, with 36 points and 13 rebounds led the Warriors to their first victory inside the chase centre. With most of the star players like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green injured, and D’angelo Russell also not included for the game, Paschall made utilised the opportunity to the fullest.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr, was thankful to Paschall’s college coach Jay Wright for the upbringing of such talent.

““I just told Eric (Paschall) the only person who can keep Eric under 20 was (Villanova head coach) Jay Wright,” Kerr joked after the game as per a video of him speaking after the game obtained from Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Kerr went on to say that his strength in spite of being under-sized, makes him successful like another Warriors player Green.

“We really liked him because of his strength and his power,” he said. He was under-sized, but these days, under-sized guys (tend to do well) as long as you are strong and you’ve got waist strength. We have seen it for the last 7-8 years with Draymond Green. So, we sure have chance to have a similar impact as a second on pick. Somebody who can plug in and Play, particularly because he played four years of college in a great programme, won a national Championship.”

“He came in and he doesn’t look like a rookie at all from the first day of practice. He looks like somebody who is well prepared for this. So, I need to give Jay his proper credit.

“What surprised us is his shooting. At times, he showed us tonight. I did not expect four 3s out of him.

“He is just playing with great confidence. He is out there believing he could do it every play.”

Paschall, whose game impressed the spectators to an extent that they began MVP chants to cheer him, credited his teammates for his performance.

Eric Paschall: “My teammates did a great job. You got to feel like you’re the best player out there. It’s a dog eat dog world. If you’re not aggressive, you gonna get eat alive. There are some killers out there.”

Apparently, Monday also marked his 23rd birthday, a birthday where the fans showered him with MVP chants.

“That was a little crazy,” Paschall said of the MVP chants. “I’m not going to lie … that was a ‘wow’ moment.”