Draymond Green has never been shy when it comes to speaking his mind, and once again, he’s doubling down on his belief that his place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is inevitable. Despite averaging just 8.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game over his NBA career, Green says the numbers don’t tell the full story.
“I think I’ll and I hope I’ll be in the Hall of Fame. But my route won’t be the typical route. You won’t go and look at my stats and say, ‘This guy’s a surefire Hall of Famer.’ But if you know the game, then I think I have a case.”
His case, quite frankly, is much stronger than his box score would suggest.
Draymond Green is a four-time NBA champion, four-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, and 2017 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He’s also been named to nine All-Defensive teams, including five First-Team nods, and led the league in steals per game in 2017. Beyond the accolades, he has played an essential role in one of the greatest dynasties the NBA has ever seen: the Golden State Warriors.
While Stephen Curry’s shooting redefined the game, and Klay Thompson’s sharpshooting torched opponents, Draymond Green was the glue, the defensive anchor, emotional leader, and playmaking engine that allowed the system to function.
His versatility as a defender allowed the Warriors to switch across all five positions. His vision and IQ as a point-forward kept the offense humming, even when defenses keyed in on Curry and Thompson.
Green’s basketball IQ is elite. He’s arguably one of the smartest defenders in league history, with the ability to anticipate plays before they happen. His leadership, his grit, and his impact on winning are all intangibles that don’t show up in stat sheets but have led to four banners in the Chase Center rafters.
Without Draymond, the Warriors do not win four titles in eight years. That’s not speculation, it’s reality. His ability to neutralize stars, set hard screens, quarterback the defense, and create for others made Golden State’s motion-heavy offense and aggressive switching defense nearly impossible to beat at their peak.
And that, more than points per game, is what Hall of Fame voters will weigh.
The Hall isn’t just about stat sheets. It’s about impact, legacy, championships, and influence. Draymond Green checks all of those boxes. He didn’t chase numbers; he chased wins. And he got them.
Whether fans love him or hate him, the reality is this: Draymond Green is one of the most impactful players of his generation. He may not have averaged 20 points, but he changed the game in his own way, and that’s what makes him a Hall of Famer. Lock it in.
