SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — The Warriors celebrated a thrilling victory and Autism Awareness Day Saturday evening at Chase Center, with star player Draymond Green hosting a former Michigan State teammate with autism for the special night.
Anthony Ianni cheered on the team courtside as the Dubs took on the Utah Jazz. He was diagnosed with a higher functioning form of autism known as Pervasive Developmental Disorder as a child.
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“When he called me, first thing he says to me, ‘Hey AI, I’m letting you know the Warriors, we’re doing an Autism Awareness game April 2nd. They want me to do some of these different clinics, but I told them I wasn’t going to do anything unless they brought you out here,’” said Ianni.
The Warriors did just that.
Ianni said he and Green had a rocky start to their friendship in college.
“There were times when his joking and sarcasm went really too far with me. And so that’s one of my biggest weaknesses, or one of my characteristics being on the autism spectrum, is that I don’t understand the joking and the sarcasm piece really well,” he said.
One day he said the two got in an argument that turned into a shoving match, and that’s when a coach revealed Ianni’s disorder to Green.
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“Draymond walked up to me and said ‘hey why didn’t you tell me all of this and I kind of told him why like I didn’t think you’d understand it really well,’ and from that day on, our relationship changed completely, because he took it upon himself to learn more about who I was as a person being on the autism spectrum,” said Ianni.
Today Ianni is an autism advocate, author, and motivational speaker. Ianni and Green spent Friday hosting a basketball clinic at thrive city for 30 kids with autism.
On Saturday, Ianni rang the ceremonial bell ahead of tip-off against the Jazz.
Chase Center is also selling specially designed popcorn at every remaining home game throughout the arena with proceeds going to the Autism Society of San Francisco.
KPIX 5 met Ianni in the wellness sensory room at Chase Center, which is available to any fans who may be overwhelmed by the crowd, lights, and sounds of the arena, and need a safe space to get away.
After Saturday’s game Ianni and Green also hosted a post-game chalk talk with fans and families dealing with autism.
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“It’s huge because it’s a voice, a lot of times these situations don’t have voices,” said Warriors Vice President of Event Experiences Phillip Hastings. “There’s not even the awareness or the acceptance. So when you have someone like Draymond step up and speak about it, people listen.”
Source: sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com.