Draymond Green has earned a spot on the NBA All-Defensive Team nine times throughout his career. According to him, this is sufficient to solidify his position as the greatest defender in the history of the sport.
During a recent episode of `The Draymond Green Show,` a fan asked Green to name his personal top five all-time defenders. The Golden State Warriors forward wasted no time in putting himself at the very top of that list.
“What you should understand about me is that I think I`m No. 1 on that list,” Green stated. “I`m not a big fan of ranking things in a specific order. But when asked who I would consider top five, I`d definitely include myself on that list.”
Green, who received the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2017 and finished third in voting this past season, then elaborated on who would occupy the remaining spots on his list, albeit with certain qualifications. He mentioned that he wouldn`t include historical legends like Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, explaining that he hadn`t seen enough of their games to properly assess their defensive prowess through his personal “eye test.”
“Ben Wallace is on that list,” Green continued. “In my opinion, Tony Allen is on that list. Tim Duncan is on that list… My fifth would be… Hakeem Olajuwon. That would constitute my top five. So, in no particular order, my top five are myself, Ben Wallace, Tony Allen, Tim Duncan, and Hakeem Olajuwon.”
Even when limiting his choices to players from his era or those he has watched extensively, Green`s list notably omits some individuals widely regarded as defensive greats, which might be seen as surprising by many observers.
That said, while you might not agree with Green`s self-assessment as the undisputed No. 1, the collection of five defensive players he named is undeniably formidable.
Jasper Hawthorne