Draymond Green named to second-team All-Defense

The Golden State Warriors weren’t up for any individual awards this year, but there are still plenty of accolades that they’ve been in the running for. And on Tuesday they achieved one, as forward Draymond Green was announced as a second-team All-Defense selection.

It’s the eighth time that Green has been selected to an All-Defense team: he was also a second-team selection in 2018, 2019, and 2022, while earning first-team honors in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2021.

According to the Warriors, Green is only the third player in franchise history to make multiple All-Defense teams, and is the organization’s all-time leader, ahead of Nate Thurmond (five times) and Jamaal Wilkes (twice). The Warriors also note that he is the fifth player in NBA history to earn eight or more All-Defense selections after being drafted in the second round or later.

The Warriors defense was not as dynamic as we’ve come to expect in recent years, but it was no fault of Green’s. He was a force on the court, guarding everyone from Chris Paul to Nikola Jokić, while frequently playing both quarterback and safety for the defense. He finished fourth in the NBA in Defensive EPM, arguably the most reliable advanced metric around.

All-Defense is voted on by 100 media members, who get to pick a first and a second-team, and are tasked with selecting two guards, two forwards, and one center per team. Green received first-team votes on 21 ballots and second second-team votes on 47, placing him third among all forwards.

The All-Defense first team was made up of guards Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks) and Alex Caruso (Chicago Bulls), forwards Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies) and Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers), and center Brook Lopez (Bucks). The second team consists of guards Derrick White (Boston Celtics) and Dillon Brooks (Grizzlies), forwards Green and O.G. Anunoby (Toronto Raptors), and center Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat). There were 28 other players who received votes, but no other Warriors.

Congrats to Green on a very well-deserved honor.