“Draymond Green Has a 7ft 3″ Wingspan!”: Andre Iguodala Explains What Makes 6ft 6″ Warriors Star a Defensive Genius

Recently, Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner appeared on JJ Redick’s podcast, The Old Man & The Three. Mid-way through the podcast, Iggy and Redick started talking about defensive specialists in the NBA. And to no one’s surprise, one of the players Iguodala hyped up was Draymond Green. He praised Green for his incredible defense and expressed how surprised he was watching the Golden State Warriors star play for the first time.

Green joined the Dubs in 2012, coming from Michigan State University, where he was a two-way threat for the Spartans. However, with the presence of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on the roster, Green had to create a niche role for himself. He did just that, adapting to the style of the Warriors with ease, and finding a role as the defensive anchor for the team.

Andre Iguodala heaps praise on 6’6″ Draymond Green for his defensive genius

On The Old Man & The Three podcast, JJ Redick asked Andre Iguodala to share what it was like playing with a rookie Draymond Green. According to Iguodala, it was Green’s defense and mentality that greatly impressed him.

In addition to having a 7’3″ wingspan, Iguodala praised Draymond for his defensive instincts. But that was not all, as the 39-year-old highlighted Green’s amazing basketball IQ. Underlining the fine details Green focused on, the 2015 NBA Finals MVP particularly focused on his pre-game speeches. And how, despite being a rookie, he had a level of maturity found in great team leaders.

“I didn’t know he [Green] was that good defensively until one day in practice…he kept almost blocking my shot, and I’m like, “I got so much space! How?”. That’s when I realized, he has like a 7’3″ wingspan. Draymond is like 6’5″! Which is even crazier, it raises your level of respect for him. So, after that practice, I was like, “Okay! I get it! I get it!”…That’s the difference between the good and the great!”

It has been close to 11 seasons now since Green entered the league. Although he isn’t the Defensive Player of the Year caliber player he was back in 2017, Green is still an integral part of the Golden State Warriors, an essential glue for the team.

Green once broke down the reasons why he is the GOAT defender

Over the years, there have been many great defenders to pass through the ranks of the NBA. The likes of Dennis Rodman, Dwight Howard, Bill Russell, Gary Payton, Ben Wallace, and Dikembe Mutombo are just a few names that come to mind. However, Draymond Green places himself above all of them, claiming to be the GOAT defender.

He believes that as a defender, one cannot be just a great on-ball defender, or great defending the opponent’s weak side. No, according to him, you need to put all those things together. And that is something he does as a defender on a nightly basis.

.@Money23Green breaks down why he’s the best defensive player in the history of the game to @Dennis3DScott 🗣

See Dray in action tonight on @nbatv as the Warriors take on the Pacers 🔥 pic.twitter.com/zEMyBeZmNo

— House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) December 13, 2021

An interesting take from Dray to say the least. But, unfortunately for him, there are plenty of fans, analysts, and players out there who would disagree. Nevertheless, he still has time to prove the doubters wrong, as his career is far from over.