Draymond Green is one of the most successful, yet controversial figures in the NBA right now. The 6’6″ power forward and center has had 4 NBA championships throughout his career. Draymond has been a Defensive Player of the Year runner-up 3 times throughout his career. He won the award in the 2016-17 season and was an NBA all-pro second-team selection multiple times. His skill sets include tough defense, passing, and strong leadership. Draymond is very versatile and capable of playing multiple defensive positions.
Other than his basketball abilities, Draymond Green is also known for his off-court advocacy. An advocate for social justice issues, Green uses his success to solve societal challenges and promote positive change. His motives to make a difference are shown beyond the basketball court, strengthening his status as an inspiration for aspiring athletes. Draymond has done a lot of positive things in the NBA, but it’s arguably outweighed by his controversies. One of Draymond’s first suspensions occurred when the Warriors faced the Clippers on Dec. 25, 2013. Draymond elbowed Clippers forward Blake Griffin in the face. He received an ejection for a flagrant 2 foul. As a result of this incident, Draymond was fined $15,000 for not being able to leave the court in a good manner. On June 10, 2016, in an NBA finals match between the Warriors and the Cavaliers, Draymond was suspended for hitting Lebron James in the groin. As a result of this, the Warriors ended up losing in 7 games.
Perhaps his most famous altercation was between him and his teammate Jordan Poole. A video of a Warriors practice surfaced to the internet in which Draymond was seen punching Poole after an argument. Green was not suspended for this incident but he was fined by his team. He did apologize to Jordan Poole after the altercation. On April 17, 2024, during the Warriors’ second game of the playoffs between the Kings, Draymond stomped on the chest of Domantas Sabonis. In consequence, Draymond was suspended for one game. Draymond was given a 5 game suspension by his coach, Steve Kerr, after putting Timberwolves player, Rudy Golbert, in a headlock. Draymond was suspended after hitting Phoenix Suns’ Center, Jusuf Nurkic, in the face.
Draymond has been ejected 18 times and suspended 5 times throughout his career. He has the most ejections among the active players in the league, and the second most of all time. Only Rasheed Wallace has more. Draymond’s rugged playstyle causes criticism from critics and opposition players. Opposing players voted Draymond Green as the most overrated player in the league (17%), and the player who talks the most trash (33.7%). This shows that his playstyle is not often appreciated by the opposition. It must be said that Draymond Green is the type of player who can get into your head easily if you let him. One could say that he plays like Dennis Rodman with more fundamentals.
He attended Michigan State College, where he was a key player for the Spartans. Draymond is also a key player for the Warriors due to his ability to turn defense into attack. One can argue that’s the reason why he gets away with so much. Draymond makes up for his lack of scoring, impacting the game with his rebounds, steals, assists, and blocks. Draymond’s tenacity may get him in trouble, but no one can doubt that he is a leader who often leads his team to victory. The Warriors veteran has experienced setbacks in his career but makes up for it by giving 110% effort on the court. Every group needs a captain, and with a championship on the line, Draymond Green is still the man for the job.
