Draymond Green has established himself as one of the finest defensive players in NBA history, but few would have seen this coming when he was entering the league. Green wasn’t a highly thought of prospect coming out of Michigan State in 2012, and he recently read his pre-draft scouting report from back then.
“Tweener, undersized for a physical forward yet lacks the athleticism of a wing,” Green read. “Lacks explosiveness, agility, elusiveness, and quickness off the bounce. Under the rim finisher, which is troublesome when you consider his size. Not a threat to shake his defender off the dribble. Minimal upside. Vulnerable defending quicker guards on the perimeter.”
The reaction says it all 😆 pic.twitter.com/WyJ3pZxt4K
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) June 21, 2025
To be fair, that report wasn’t completely off, particularly from an offensive standpoint. Green has never been someone who would beat a defender off the dribble or just blow by someone with his speed. He provides value on offense as a playmaker, and there was nothing said in that report about him struggling in that regard.
What the evaluators did get wrong, though, was how good Green would prove to be defensively. Despite being undersized and lacking elite athleticism, he is able to guard all five positions. Green’s terrific defensive instincts are a big reason why he’s so good on that end of the floor, and that just wasn’t evident to the basketball world.
Green slid to the second round in the 2012 NBA Draft, and the Golden State Warriors would select him with the 35th pick. Even the Warriors didn’t think he would turn out to be this good, as they had selected Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli before him with the seventh and 30th picks, respectively, in that 2012 Draft.
Green’s rookie season wouldn’t have you believing he was going to become a special player either. He put up just 2.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game in 2012-13 on 13.4 minutes per game.
It was only really toward the end of Green’s sophomore season that you started to think he could be a valuable piece for the Warriors. Steve Kerr’s arrival as head coach in 2014 would greatly benefit him, too, as he was made a full-time starter in 2014-15.
Green would become one of the pillars of the Warriors’ dynasty, as they won titles in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022. Along the way, he won Defensive Player of the Year in 2017.
Green has also made four All-Star, two All-NBA, and nine All-Defensive teams. He is regarded as one of the greatest second-round draft picks in NBA history, and the Warriors sure hit the jackpot by drafting him.
While a lot of the credit for the Warriors’ success has gone to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, they realize just how important Green has been. Thompson admitted that he and Curry would not have had the success they have had if he weren’t around.
Green’s raw numbers will never show how great he has been for the Warriors, as he averages just 8.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game for his career. His game isn’t the least bit flashy either, but he has been one of the more impactful players in the NBA over the last decade or so.
