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Draymond Green’s Hall of Fame resume had been growing through nine seasons with the Golden State Warriors, a stretch in which he won three NBA titles, made three All-Star appearances, six selections to the All-Defensive team and one Defensive Player of the Year Award.
But the big man’s future entry to the Hall of Fame may be cemented after helping lead Team USA to his second gold medal, an insider says. Green was one of the most important pieces for the American team on a journey to another gold medal that had a rocky start. The big man turned in some key defensive plays and has now joined a very exclusive group of players with multiple gold medals and multiple NBA titles.
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Green Adds to Resume
As Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic noted, Green played one of the most important roles for Team USA during the Tokyo Olympics. While he only had the eight-most minutes on the team, Green was always on the floor to close out games and made a series of key defensive stops. Thompson wrote that the performance helps solidify Green’s place as one of the best ever to play the game, noting that his accomplishments stretch well beyond his time in the NBA.
“The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, in Springfield, Mass., is not just for the NBA. It accounts for the entire basketball life,” Thompson wrote. “So it matters significantly that Green has his jersey in the rafters at Michigan State — after making two Final Fours, winning the 2012 Big Ten Player of the Year, the same year he was a consensus First Team All-American. Throw in two high school state championships, leading Saginaw High to a No. 4 national ranking and being named a 2008 Parade All-American.”
Green’s Impact Stretches Far
Green averaged 3.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in the Tokyo Olympics, but Thompson noted that his contributions went beyond the box score, with his on-floor IQ and heart rubbing off on teammates. Thompson noted that Green yelled at Kevin Durant for failing to contest a three-pointer in the gold medal game, and Durant responded by blocking the next attempt.
His grit and defensive toughness have been a good fit for the superstar-loaded Golden State Warriors and Team USA rosters, noted Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Bay Area. That is a role that Green has often embraced, content to take a secondary role on offense and put his focus on helping facilitate opportunities for his teammates.
“As I say on the Warriors, you got these guys who are great scorers, they do what they do,” Green told NBC Bay Area’s Raj Mathai after winning the gold medal in Tokyo. “The last thing I need them worrying about is to try and lead the next guy. You do what you do. I’ll handle that. I’ll try and lock up on the defensive end, I’ll make the dirty-work plays, and I think I’m great in that role. So I wanted to come here and be great at it.”
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