Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is likely to have his speech in Springfield one day. He has one of the best resumes of his generation, and he could add to his long list of accomplishments with another sparkling award in the 2024-25 NBA season.
The 35-year-old Green is among those viewed as a legitimate contender for this campaign’s Defensive Player of the Year award — one that he has already won before.
Green, who won the DPOY in 2017, showed his defensive chops again Thursday night when he helped the Warriors take down the Los Angeles Lakers on the road to the tune of a 123-116 score. Green scored just eight points on 3-for-9 shooting but he had 11 rebounds and a block.
But what’s not seen on the basic box scores most of the time is his ability to force opponents to give up the ball or take bad shots. Even at his age, Green can still cover every position on the court effectively.
According to StatMuse, Green is limiting All-Star players on defense to just 41 percent shooting from the floor. The same players have also shot just 31 percent from behind the arc.
Can Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green win his second Defensive Player of the Year award?
Green continues to hold it together for the Warriors’ defense even with the arrival of Jimmy Butler, who is another defensive stalwart. Against the Lakers, the four-time NBA champion made notable plays down the stretch that helped keep the Lakers at bay and kill the momentum of Los Angeles.
That was very much in full display when he swiped the ball from Lakers superstar Luka Doncic, who tried to attack the basket, looking to cut the Warriors’ lead with under a minute left in regulation.
DEFENSIVE 👏 MASTERMIND 👏@Money23Green is a savant. pic.twitter.com/2K1DnSP7zB
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 4, 2025
Green is not without stiff competition for the DPOY honor this season. Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley, Oklahoma City Thunder perimeter weapon Lu Dort, Memphis Grizzlies center and former DPOY winner Jaren Jackson and league steals leader Dyson Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks all have cases of their own.
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