Draymond Green's Early Career and College Success
- Attended Saginaw High School in Saginaw, Michigan
- Played for coach Lou Dawkins
- Averaged 12 points and 11 rebounds per game as a sophomore
- Led Saginaw to the Class A State Championship and a 26-1 record as a junior
- Averaged 25 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals per game in his junior year
- Attended Michigan State University
- Played for the Michigan State Spartans
- Helped the team earn two Final Four appearances
- Won a Big Ten tournament championship in 2012
- Earned conference and national honors, including All-American and National Player of the Year
Draymond Green's College Career
- Freshman Year in College:
- Appeared in 37 games off the bench
- Averaged 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game
- Improved performance in the NCAA tournament
- Ranked fourth in scoring and second in rebounding on the team during the tournament
- Shot a team-best .679 from the field in the tournament
- Sophomore Year in College:
- Appeared in 37 games with three starting assignments
- Averaged 9.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game
- Named Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year
- Earned third-team All-Big Ten honors
- Junior Year in College:
- Averaged 12.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game
- Recorded a triple-double, becoming the third Michigan State player to achieve this feat
- Recorded a second triple-double in the NCAA tournament
- Earned third-team All-Big Ten honors for the second consecutive year
- Senior Year in College:
- Captained the Spartans to a regular season Big Ten championship and Big Ten tournament championship
- Named Most Outstanding Player in the Big Ten tournament
- Named Big Ten Player of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten selection
- Recorded his third career triple-double in the NCAA tournament
- Ended his college career as one of three players in Michigan State history with over 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds
Draymond Green's NBA Debut and Breakthrough Season
- Drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 2012
- Signed a three-year, $2.6 million contract with the Warriors
- Played one minute in his NBA debut, making one defensive rebound and committing one foul
- Received more playing time due to injuries to other players
- Played 15-20 minutes per game by November 22
- Helped the Warriors win 8 of 10 games in December
- Made the winning layup in a game against the Miami Heat
- Contributed to the Warriors' first-round playoff win against the Denver Nuggets
- Started in place of Festus Ezeli in a playoff game against the San Antonio Spurs
- Played in all 82 games of the regular season, with 12 starts
Draymond Green's Weight Loss, Defensive Contributions, and First Championship Season
- Lost 20 pounds in the 2013 off-season
- Showed improvement in three-point shooting and defense
- Tipped in a missed shot to give the Warriors a lead in a game against the Sacramento Kings
- Ejected from a game against the Los Angeles Clippers and fined $15,000
- Filled in at power forward for injured starter David Lee
- Promoted to the starting lineup as a power forward
- Helped the Warriors achieve a 16-game winning streak
- Recorded his first career triple-double in a game against the Toronto Raptors
- Finished runner-up in the Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player Awards
- Recorded a triple-double in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, becoming the sixth player in history to do so in a clinching game
Draymond Green's All-Star and Championship Success
- Re-signed with the Warriors to a five-year, $82 million contract
- Helped the Warriors achieve a 24-0 start to the season
- Recorded multiple triple-doubles, including three straight
- Named a Western Conference All-Star reserve
- Selected to the All-NBA Second Team and All-Defensive Team
- Had an impressive performance in the NBA Finals 2016, but the Warriors lost the series in seven games
- Second NBA Championship and DPOY Award (2016-2017)
- Green had an 18-point, 12-rebound game in the season opener
- Warriors started the season with a 14-2 record
- Green was sidelined with a left ankle injury for one game
- Green recorded a triple-double with 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 9 assists in a loss to the Rockets
- Green recorded his 15th career triple-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists
- Green was named a Western Conference All-Star reserve for the 2017 NBA All-Star Game
- Green had a triple-double with 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 steals, scoring only 4 points
- Green became the first player in NBA history to have a triple-double with fewer than 10 points scored
- Green's triple-double with 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 steals was only the second in NBA history
- Alvin Robertson had the first triple-double with 20 points in 1986
- Green equaled his career best with five blocks in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers
- Green's performance helped the Warriors defeat the Memphis Grizzlies with a score of 122-107
- Green's triple-double with 10 steals was a remarkable achievement in NBA history
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 in the league, he is an eight-time All-Defensive Team, 2017 NBA Defensive Player of the Year and led the league in steals. Green was a runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year Award three times in his career.
![]() Green in 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||
No. 23 – Golden State Warriors | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Power forward | |||||||||||||||||
League | NBA | |||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||
Born | Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. | March 4, 1990|||||||||||||||||
Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | |||||||||||||||||
Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) | |||||||||||||||||
Career information | ||||||||||||||||||
High school | Saginaw (Saginaw, Michigan) | |||||||||||||||||
College | Michigan State (2008–2012) | |||||||||||||||||
NBA draft | 2012: 2nd round, 35th overall pick | |||||||||||||||||
Selected by the Golden State Warriors | ||||||||||||||||||
Playing career | 2012–present | |||||||||||||||||
Career history | ||||||||||||||||||
2012–present | Golden State Warriors | |||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Stats at NBA.com | ||||||||||||||||||
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | ||||||||||||||||||
Medals
|
Green grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, and he played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans, helping them earn two Final Four appearances and a Big Ten tournament championship in 2012. Throughout his four-year college career, Green earned conference and national honors, including Big Ten Conference Sixth Man of the Year as a sophomore and consensus All-American and NABC National Player of the Year honors as a senior. 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.
Green, who often plays significant minutes for the Warriors as an undersized center in their "Death Lineup", has been 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 is considered one of the best passers and defensive players of the 2010s, known for his steals, shot-blocking, rebounding, and overall defensive play.
Green has also been criticized for his on-court conduct and for physically aggressive acts which have been perceived by many as "dirty", unsportsmanlike, and sometimes dangerous. Several ejections and suspensions during the 2023 calendar year led to Green being suspended indefinitely by the NBA.