Draymond Green is considered one of the best defenders of his generation and one of the foremost defenders in the league today. Green has been playing high-level defense for almost his entire career and is considered crucial to the Golden State Warriors.
Green entered the league in 2012 as a 2nd round pick in the NBA Draft. He joined the Golden State Warriors, and within a few years, became crucial in their rotation. Green became the defensive enforcer for the Warriors while Steph Curry and Klay Thompson formed their revolutionary offensive backcourt.
Draymond proved his value to the Warriors last season, as he helped them stay afloat during the season with his key defensive work and his excellent playmaking. While players like Steph Curry got all the plaudits for his MVP-level performances, Draymond was just as important to the Warriors.
But despite his consistently great defense, former Defensive Player Of The Year Metta World Peace doesn’t have Draymond Green in his top 5 greatest defenders ever.
Peace’s list had Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Dennis Rodman, and Ben Wallace. He believes that Green playing in the modern era is what holds him back from making it to the list (2:00 mark).
“Now, when you talk about this era you can’t compare that to all-time because they changed the rules for Wilt. When Shaq [O’Neal] came in the game, they changed the rules for Shaq. Back in the days, it was impossible for a 6-6 guy to play power forward if you wasn’t thick. I’m not saying he’s not strong enough, but I’m saying it’s a different era.”
Green’s role in the team is often overlooked because of his less than stellar offensive contribution to the team. But the fact is that he is the Warriors’ best defender, and does a lot of important work for them.
Green helped the Warriors win the NBA championship in 2015, and helped them achieve a league-best 73-9 record in 2016. Between 2015 and 2019, Green was a big part of the Warriors’ dynasty that reached 5 consecutive NBA Finals and won 3 NBA championships.
