By every measure, Draymond Green is one of the NBA’s best players ever. And it’s not remotely debatable. As the all-around defensive lynchpin for a dynastic Warriors squad, Green made a name for himself by locking down other superstars while being a versatile and efficient offensive facilitator. It’s a grimy job, but someone’s got to do it, and not everyone can. A four-time All-Star, four-time First-Team All-Defense member, and a former Defensive Player of the Year like Green quite obviously can.
But something is curiously missing from Green’s resume lately. While he might be on the shortlist for the best defenders ever, he didn’t qualify for another list: The NBA 75th Anniversary Team, or 75 best players in league history.
According to Green, the reason is pretty simple: He was suspended from the latter half of the 2016 Finals, where he likely would’ve won MVP, while the Warriors fell in a historic collapse to LeBron James Cavaliers.
Yeah, that might do it.
Draymond Green laments suspension costing him 2016 NBA Finals MVP: ‘Good luck leaving me off the NBA 75 if I was Finals MVP’ https://t.co/PQvf1xzl2G
— Dan Feldman (@DanFeldmanNBA) February 23, 2022
Green also discussed the topic on a recent episode of J.J. Reddick’s podcast, The Old Man & The Three. He did not hold back:
“The one thing, when I look back on it, that bothers me is I would’ve been the Finals MVP. And that totally changes the narrative. Good luck leaving me off the NBA 75 if I was Finals MVP. Good luck even having a debate if I’m a Hall of Famer or not if I was Finals MVP.”
This sort of assessment can sometimes be read as self-aggrandizement, but it actually appeared to be a moment of genuine reflection. Green knows he’s more of a second/third/fourth fiddle player, especially when the Warriors had Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson. Because he’s not a prolific scorer, big playoff moments are where he will always make his legacy first.
He screwed up, and he knows it. Via The Old Man & The Three:
“When I look back on that from a selfish standpoint, which I rarely do, I would have been Finals MVP and that changes the course of everything.”
If it’s any consolation to Green, his Hall of Fame resume probably isn’t in doubt. It’s not as if it’s some particularly exclusive club with the most stringent accessibility measures. Three-time champions with a Defensive Player of the Year in their trophy case don’t get the door slammed in their face.
If he’s really fortunate, Green might also soon be a four-time champion, as the Warriors are the NBA title favorites (+425), according to Tipico Sportsbook. That, and another potential Defensive Player of the Year (+270, second-best), and Green will be an even clearer shoo-in for the Hall.
Plus, who knows: in 25 years it’s unlikely Green is left off the NBA 100. Everything’s coming up Draymond, sooner or later.
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