The Top 10 Players In The NBA Right Now
By Ti Windisch
6. Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
Draymond Green is only the second-best player on his team, but being the sixth-best player in the entire NBA more than makes up for that. Green is no lead dog, but that doesn’t prevent him from attaining greatness.
| Season | GS | MP | FGA | FG% | 3PA | 3P% | eFG% | FTA | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 ★ | 62 | 34.5 | 10.1 | .477 | 3.1 | .396 | .538 | 4.0 | .672 | 1.7 | 8.0 | 9.6 | 7.4 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 13.5 |
| Career | 154 | 24.8 | 7.0 | .431 | 2.5 | .340 | .492 | 2.1 | .680 | 1.2 | 5.1 | 6.3 | 3.2 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 8.3 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/10/2016.
Green is proof that “role player” shouldn’t be equated with “inferior talent” in the NBA. Draymond’s role is to ensure everything runs smoothly for the Warriors, and he’s done an impeccable job.
It’s tough to argue against a team winning more than 90 percent of its games. Of course Golden State’s MVP has a lot to do with that, but basketball is a team game. Draymond Green exemplifies that aspect of the game.
Green averages 13.5 points, 7.4 assists, and nearly 10 rebounds per game. He can defend guards, wings, forwards, and centers. He makes nearly 40 percent of his threes. He’s currently tied with another player on this list for the NBA lead in triple-doubles, with 11.
Any talk of Draymond being a “system player” is correct, as long as you accept that every NBA team has its own system. Any team would benefit from having Green.
Next: Number Five