2017 Defensive Player of the Year: Draymond’s Defensive Art

In 2017 Draymond Green was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year. For a 6-foot-7 forward playing inside, the honor carries huge weight — it proved defensive value is never defined by block counts alone.

The core of Green's defensive art is "anticipation." He rarely relies on athletic bounce; instead he studies film and memorizes offensive habits to step into passing lanes early. A career regular among steal leaders yet often contributing blocks, he is a rare "steals + blocks" dual-threat forward.

Switching is his other calling card. Facing picks he can switch from guard to center without dropping levels: vs guards he uses footwork to harass, vs centers he uses center of gravity and arms to bother. That all-switch ability is the bedrock of Golden State's switch-everything scheme.

Rarer still is "defensive command." Green is a player-coach on the floor, constantly talking rotations. Teammates said: "With Draymond, we know where to be." His communication makes the Warriors' team defense greater than the sum of five.

That 2017 season Green averaged nearly 2 steals and 1.5 blocks, made All-Defensive First Team, and helped the Warriors win the title (67 regular-season wins, a 16-1 playoff run among history's best). The DPOY trophy stamped his defensive dominance.

To fans, Green's defense is an art of "reading the game" — he plays with his brain, making defense the start of offense.

Related Reading

• The Warriors System and the Death Lineup: Why Green Is the Pivot
• The All-Around Warrior: Green’s Near Triple-Doubles and Stat Profile
• The 35th Pick in 2012: Where Draymond’s Underdog Rise Began
• 2022 Finals FMVP: The Coronation of the System Axis
• A Tribute to Draymond Green: The Draymond Legend Continues