NBA Draft: Top 30 draft steals in league history

Best NBA Draft steals of all time: Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors

Being a “tweener” — a player who doesn’t fit in one certain position — used to be a negative for an NBA player.

Draymond Green started to break that mold.

At 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds, Green played four years at Michigan State University before entering the 2012 NBA Draft.

Due to his age — and belief that he may already be at his ceiling as a player — and his unique size many teams passed on the opportunity to draft him. Green seemed to be too slow and lacking perimeter skills to play small forward, but too short to play power forward.

Green was eventually selected by the Golden State Warriors with the 35th overall pick.

Although his rookie season seemed lackluster, much of that can be attributed to Green being buried on the bench.

Once he hit his third year in the league, the monster was unleashed. While being short for a power forward, Green made up for that with a thick frame, his incredible toughness and his ability to guard multiple positions. His unique skillset of shooting, ball handling, passing and ability to guard every position on the floor made him an integral piece of the Warriors.

Green is a two-time All-NBA selection, five-time All-Defensive Team selection, the 2016-17 Defensive Player of the Year, a three-time NBA All-Star and a three-time NBA champion.

Green’s success as a tweener has changed the narrative of the classification. Now, teams often look for players who can fit that mold.

While originally being doubted for his lack of traditional fit in the NBA, Green’s versatility makes him a great NBA Draft steal.