Award season is in full swing, and Draymond Green is pulling out all the stops. With the regular season award winners beginning to roll out, a select number of players will be adding big-time hardware to their resumes, cementing their NBA legacy. And on Friday, the NBA revealed its winner of the Hustle Award, with this year’s recipient being Golden State Warriors’ star, Draymond Green. Green, a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year, put together a resurgent season in which he not only continued his elite play on defense.
His offense came to life as he averaged 9.0 points– his highest points per game average since 2017-18 (11.0 points). The hustle award, which recognizes players who make effort plays– defined as plays not shown on box scores such as deflections, loose ball recoveries, etc., is relatively new compared to the other ones in the league, first awarded in 2016-17. Nonetheless, it is a significant award with an incentive to help teams win.
Green’s Path to the Award
While the Warriors were undoubtedly headlined by Stephen Curry and, later on, Jimmy Butler, Green’s value cannot be understated. While Curry did not lead the league in any specific hustle stat, specifically being sixth in charges drawn, 39th in offensive loose balls recovered, and 36th in defensive loose balls recovered, among others, it was the fact that he was so well balanced that made his win all the more deserving. Coming in ranked in the top 15 in five of the hustle stat categories, he is the first player in the award’s history to be ranked in the top 40 in every category.
The Warriors are chasing a fifth title, and without Green, who knows where the Warriors would be? A four-time All-Star, four-time NBA champion, All-NBA Second-Team selection, and the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, among other awards, Green has arguably put together a Hall of Fame resume– with some going as far as comparing him to Dennis Rodman.
Final Thoughts
While Green missed out on adding a second Defensive Player of the Year Award, Green winning the hustle award proves his value to the Warriors’ success. He is considered one of the best defensive players of all time. While his time on the Warriors may be, at times, overshadowed by the dominance of Curry and Klay Thompson, there is no denying that he has cemented his place as one of the greatest Warriors of all time.
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