Draymond Green is widely considered one of the best defenders in the league, and his basketball IQ is on par with greats like LeBron James. Green recently made headlines, when he stated that he’s the best defender to play the game of basketball. Since then, many people around the NBA world have weighed in with their opinions on Green’s proclamation.
One of the people who has voiced their opinion on Draymond Green’s statement is Metta World Peace, a former NBA champion and DPOY. He stated that Draymond Green is a top 5 greatest defender of all time. The reasoning was that Draymond Green played center for the Warriors, and won more championships than another all-time defender in Ben Wallace.
I looked at some videos . I got @Money23Green top 5 greatest defenders of all time .
Mainly because he was smaller than my brother Ben Wallace and has more championships while playing the center position.
— Coach Metta (@MettaWorld37) March 25, 2021
Ben Wallace notably won the 2004 NBA championship, while being an undersized center who guarded Shaquille O’Neal in the Pistons’ Finals matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. Ben Wallace was 6’9, but he could still hang with the giant centers of his era. His 4 DPOY awards speak for themselves. He has led the league in rebounding and blocks during his career despite being undersized. Accolade-wise, it does seem like Ben Wallace does get the nod over Draymond Green.
Draymond Green won the DPOY during the 2016-17 season, and he led the league in steals that same season. What defines Draymond Green is his versatility: he is one of the players in the league today who can actually guard anyone whether it be a point guard or a center. Green’s versatility helped Golden State win 3 championships with their dynasty, and Draymond Green has been a crucial piece in Steve Kerr’s strategy every year. Draymond Green has the championship rings and his versatility to state his case as the greatest defender.
At the end of the day, you can only judge players respective to their eras. Draymond Green is one of the best defenders of this generation of players, and his ability to direct an entire defense and break up the opponent’s game plan is elite. Draymond Green is definitely a top defender in NBA history, although it’s hard to compare eras to one another.
