Draymond Green

Four-time NBA champion and Defensive Player of the Year known for his versatility and defensive prowess.

Draymond Jamal Green (born March 4, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Green, who plays primarily at the power forward position, is a four-time NBA champion, a four-time NBA All-Star, a two-time member of the All-NBA Team, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. Considered one of the greatest defensive players of all time, he is a nine-time All-Defensive Team member, was NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2017, and led the league in steals the same year.

Quick Facts

Position: Power forward
League: NBA
Team: Golden State Warriors
Born: 4 March 1990
Birthplace: Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
High school: Saginaw (Saginaw, Michigan)
College: Michigan State (2008–2012)
Draft round: 2

Lore & Background

Green grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, and played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans, helping them earn two Final Four appearances and a Big Ten tournament championship in 2012. He was drafted 35th overall in the 2012 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors and later played a key role on the Warriors' 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022 championship teams. Playing significant minutes as an undersized center in the Warriors' 'Death Lineup', Green was cited as one of the leaders in an emerging trend in the NBA of versatile frontcourt players capable of playing and defending multiple positions as well as making plays for teammates. He has been criticized for conduct perceived as unsportsmanlike as well as physically aggressive play, leading many to consider him a 'dirty' player, and also has the second-most career ejections of any NBA player, behind only Rasheed Wallace.

Reader's Guide

As a junior in 2010–11, Green averaged 12.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. On February 10, 2011, Green followed Charlie Bell and Magic Johnson to be the third Michigan State men's basketball player to record a triple-double. In the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, he recorded his second triple-double of the season and the seventh in NCAA tournament history in the loss against UCLA. As a senior in 2011–12, Green captained the Spartans to a regular season Big Ten championship and Big Ten tournament championship, being named Most Outstanding Player. On March 16, 2012, Green recorded his third career triple-double against LIU-Brooklyn in the second round of the 2012 NCAA tournament and joined Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson as just the third player in NCAA history to have two career triple-doubles in the NCAA tournament.