It was nothing short of a defensive masterclass by Draymond Green against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. As the primary defender on Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Golden State Warriors veteran held him to 0-7 on shooting. The 35-year-old followed it up with another well-rounded performance against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday, attracting shoutouts for his case as the Defensive Player of the Year.
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On Tuesday, the Greek Freak was forced into a shell and ended up scoring just 5 of 16 from the field, recording his lowest regular-season shooting percentage in two years. Green was involved in eight of Antetokounmpo’s 11 misses.
Coach Steve Kerr, while praising Green, described him as one of the best defenders in the game’s history after that game. “To hold him [Giannis] to five field goals showed why he’s still one of the great defenders in the world,” Kerr said. He then lauded Green’s leadership qualities on and off the floor.
Green carried the momentum into the Warriors’ next game, playing a pivotal road in the 117-114 win over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night. The 2017 DPOY was, in fact, dominant on both ends of the floor and ended with a team-high 21 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals, and 5 assists.
Kerr doubled down on his previous comment about Green’s defensive prowess after the game. This time, he compared him to Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. “I think what makes Draymond different from Scottie is that Draymond is physically stronger and more capable of guarding low post players,” said Kerr.
Steve Kerr followed up on his comments about Draymond Green being “the best defender he’s ever seen.”
His top three all-time defenders are Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and Green. pic.twitter.com/KuhwnK9Nzc
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) March 21, 2025
Kerr, of course, was not taking anything away from his former teammate. He explained that Pippen was great despite having to guard players like Shaquille O’Neal and Patrick Ewing in their prime.
Kerr then brought Rodman into the conversation as well, saying that these three might be the best players he’s ever seen on defense. And Kerr’s assessment is fairly accurate.
Scottie was known for his lateral versatility on the perimeter while Draymond has made a name for himself with his ability to switch 1 through 5 while also being adept at getting his hands into passing lanes.
Green is a beautiful mix of Rodman and Pippen. The forward can realistically vie for another DPOY, especially if he continues performing the way he is at the moment.
Green wants another DPOY award
Green has held the fort down defensively for the Warriors for over a decade now. He was one of the key factors behind their four championships.
With a DPOY and eight NBA All-Defensive team selections, he has already cemented his legacy. But Green is far from satisfied with this resume.
During a recent media interaction, he was asked if he thinks he has a case for DPOY this year. “Most definitely,” he answered. “When I look around the league, I don’t see many players on the back end of the game on defense and then the way I do it.”
Green believes, and rightly so, that not many players in the league are capable of throwing off a team’s offense like he can.
Draymond Green on DPOY: “I want another one.”
“Especially with Wemby going down. It seemed like he had it won. Now it’s right there.”
“One million percent I have a case and I’ll continue to build that case.” pic.twitter.com/Xzww4H8etz
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 19, 2025
Green’s confidence in staking a claim for the DPOY this year also found credence when Victor Wembanyama was ruled out for the season.
“Especially with Wemby going down. It seemed like he had it won. Now it’s right there… One million percent I have a case and I’ll continue to build that case,” said Green.
With the award season approaching, it’ll be interesting to see if Green has done enough to get his second DPOY.
