Golden State Warriors: Draymond Green’s Unconventional Rise
Too small, too slow, too bad — Draymond Green is a stud who’s of paramount importance to the Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors won’t stop winning games. Despite playing without head coach Steve Kerr, the defending NBA champions are 18-0 and have shown no signs of slowing down.
As Stephen Curry rightfully receives MVP hype, another player deserves to be in the way-too-early All-NBA discussion: Draymond Green.
Green took the long road to the NBA by spending a full four seasons under Tom Izzo with the Michigan State Spartans. Over the course of those four glorious years, he received a number of accolades, including Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year and two All-Big Ten Third Team appearances.
During his senior season, Green was named as the NABC National Player of the Year and Big Ten Player of the Year. He was honored as a consensus First Team All-American and reached the All-Big Ten First Team and Big Ten All-Defensive Team.
Despite that extraordinary success, he fell all the way to No. 35 in the 2012 NBA Draft.
An undersized and not-so-explosive power forward whose body type wasn’t promising for the 3, Green’s uncanny versatility was steadily overlooked. He thrived in every phase of the game, but that didn’t seem to matter to coaches or general managers in the NBA.
With every passing game, Green is making his skeptics pay.
The Breakout Season
After struggling during his first two NBA seasons, Draymond Green came into his own in 2014-15. He averaged 11.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.3 blocks and 1.4 3-point field goals made in 79 starts for the 67-win Golden State Warriors.
Curry and Klay Thompson received most of the accolades, but it was Green who was named to the All-Defensive First Team.
It’s worth noting that, while Kawhi Leonard may have won Defensive Player of the Year, it was Green who received the most first-place votes.
Leonard received more overall points in the process, but the voters clearly believed that Green should’ve won. His role in Golden State winning a championship only facilitated the argument that he should’ve.
The Warriors may be recognized for their offensive explosiveness, but they won in 2014-15 on the strength of the defense. Golden State was No. 1 in the NBA in both defensive efficiency, which measures the number of points a team allows per 100 possessions, and opponent field goal percentage.
With Green as the defensive anchor, the Warriors had the most dominant defense in the NBA.
Invaluable Versatility
Stephen Curry is the point guard for the Golden State Warriors. He’s revered as an all-world playmaker who can create something out of nothing and make everyone around him perform at a higher level than they’re normally capable.
As Curry turns up the intensity with which he scores, however, the role of a facilitator has been bestowed upon Draymond Green.
Green rose to prominence as a collegiate player for his rare versatility—specifically his uncanny ability to rack up assists at his size. That’s translated well to the NBA, where he’s begun to emerge as something of a walking triple-double.
After recorded just one triple-double in 79 games in 2014-15, he already has three in 18 games in 2015-16.
For the season, Green is averaging 12.8 points, 8.1 assists, 7.1 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals. He’s also shooting 42.6 percent from 3-point range with an average of 1.6 3-point field goals made per game.
For good measure, Green is limiting opponents to 38.6 percent shooting when he’s the primary defender, per NBA.com. Despite standing at just 6’7″, he’s No. 4 in the NBA in opponent field goal percentage at the rim.
Green is the defensive anchor and team leader in rebounds and assists per game for the 18-0 Warriors. In many ways, he’s to Golden State what Lamar Odom was to the Los Angeles Lakers: everything.
The accolades may not come as often as they do for his teammates, but without Green’s ability to contribute in, literally, every phase of teh game, the Warriors would not be of the same caliber.
Huge When Needed
If you aren’t impressed by Draymond Green’s versatility, then I’m not sure what to tell you. If you still need more convincing, however, there’s one more measurement to show how incredible Green has been.
Not only is Green producing in an incredibly well-rounded manner, but he’s doing so with scarce opportunities.
Despite boasting a usage rate that ranks No. 154 in the NBA, Green is averaging 12.8 points and 7.1 assists per game. Not only is that high production on a low volume of opportunities, but it’s a significant measurement of his value.
According to Basketball-Reference.com, Green is on pace to become just the second player since 1996 to average at least 12.0 points and 7.0 assists on a usage rate of 18.0 percent or lower.
That may not seem important, but it’s a sign of just how dependable Green has been. He won’t get many touches, but when the ball comes his way, the Warriors expect—at times, need—him to step up and make a big play.
More times than not, he’s succeeding in doing so.
Defensively, Green is locking opponents down in the same manner that sent him to the All-Defensive First Team in 2014-15. Offensively, he’s stepping up and making plays in critical moments with a selfless understanding that opportunities will be scarce on a star-studded roster.
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He may not be a household name, but Draymond Green is as important to the Golden State Warriors’ 18-0 start as any player on the roster.