Draymond Green makes All-Defensive Second Team

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green added another defensive accolade to his long list of achievements. On Friday, Green was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second team for the third time in his career:

At 32 years old, Green has been named to the All-Defensive First Team four times and won Defensive Player of the Year once in 2017. The 2021-22 regular season started with a motivated Green looking to add another one of each to his storied career. However, he suffered a back injury in January which caused him to miss a big chunk of the season. The fact that Green only played in 46 games this year put a damper on his case when it came to voting.

Here is the breakdown of the results:

In his 9th season, Green is still among the best defensive players in the league. He may not have the flashy stats like others in the NBA, but his combination of athleticism, length, and defensive IQ makes him one of the best of all time.

Green was a big reason why Golden State ranked near the top of the league in defensive rating. He excels as a roamer on the Warriors defense. He’s the backline anchor who is constantly communicating with his teammates, putting them in the best position to defend opposing offenses. He makes quick rotations to help when his teammates get beat while using his long wingspan to disrupt shot attempts.

Most importantly, he is still capable of guarding all five positions, using his strength and defensive craftiness to dominate opposing big men despite his smaller stature. Here he is guarding the league MVP, Nikola Jokic, during their playoff matchup.

Draymond is the vocal leader for this Warriors team. Although his fiery competitiveness tends to get him in trouble at times, there is no denying that he is vital to Golden State’s championship aspirations.