Draymond Green facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

"Draymond" redirects here. For a similar name, see Daymond.

Quick facts for kids
Draymond Green

Green in 2022

No. 23 – Golden State Warriors

Power forward

Personal information

Born

March 4, 1990 (age 35)
Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.

High school

Saginaw (Saginaw, Michigan)

Listed height

6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)

Listed weight

230 lb (104 kg)

Career information

College

Michigan State (2008–2012)

NBA Draft

2012 / Round: 2 / Pick: 35th overall

Selected by the Golden State Warriors

Pro career

2012–present

League

NBA

Career history

2012–present

Golden State Warriors

Career highlights and awards

4× NBA champion (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022)
4× NBA All-Star (2016–2018, 2022)
All-NBA Second Team (2016)
All-NBA Third Team (2017)
NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2017)
4× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2015–2017, 2021)
4× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2018, 2019, 2022, 2023)
NBA steals leader (2017)
NABC National Player of the Year (2012)
Consensus first-team All-American (2012)
Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year (2012)
Big Ten Player of the Year (2012)
First-team All-Big Ten (2012)
2× Third-team All-Big Ten (2010, 2011)
Big Ten All-Defensive Team (2012)
Big Ten tournament Most Outstanding Player (2012)
Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year (2010)
No. 23 retired by Michigan State Spartans
Fourth-team Parade All-American (2008)

Medals

Men's basketball

Representing United States
Olympic Games
Gold	2016 Rio de Janeiro	Team
Gold	2020 Tokyo	Team

Draymond Jamal Green (born March 4, 1990) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Golden State Warriors in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Draymond mostly plays as a power forward. He has won four NBA championships and has been an NBA All-Star four times. He also has two Olympic gold medals.

Many people think Draymond is one of the best defensive players ever. He has been on the All-Defensive Team eight times. In 2017, he was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He also led the league in steals that year.

Draymond grew up in Saginaw, Michigan. He played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. He helped his college team reach the Final Four twice. In 2012, they won the Big Ten tournament championship. During his four years in college, he earned many awards. He was named Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year as a sophomore. As a senior, he was a consensus All-American. He also won the NABC National Player of the Year award.

The Golden State Warriors picked Draymond 35th overall in the 2012 NBA draft. He became a key player for the Warriors. He helped them win championships in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022.

Draymond often plays as a smaller center for the Warriors. He is known for being a versatile player. He can play and defend many positions. He is also great at setting up plays for his teammates. He is considered one of the best passers and defenders of the 2010s. He is known for his steals, shot-blocking, and rebounding. He is also known for his intense play on the court.

High School Basketball Career

Draymond Green went to Saginaw High School in Saginaw, Michigan. He played basketball for coach Lou Dawkins. In his second year (sophomore year), he averaged 12 points and 11 rebounds per game. As a junior, he averaged 25 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, and three steals. He led Saginaw to a Class A State Championship with a 26–1 record.

On November 14, 2007, Draymond decided to play college basketball for Michigan State. He had also thought about playing for Michigan and Kentucky.

In his senior year (2007–08), Draymond averaged 20 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocked shots. He led the Saginaw High Trojans to another Class A State Championship. They had a 27–1 record and were ranked No. 4 nationally. He was named captain of the Detroit Free Press All-State Dream Team. He was also ranked the No. 36 player in the ESPN 150. This included being the No. 13 power forward.

College Basketball Journey

Freshman Year at Michigan State

As a freshman at Michigan State in 2008–09, Draymond played in 37 games. He usually came off the bench. He averaged 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. During Michigan State's run to the championship game in the 2009 NCAA tournament, he improved. He averaged 8.5 points and 5.3 rebounds. He was fourth in scoring and second in rebounding for his team. He also shot very well, making 67.9% of his shots in the tournament.

Sophomore Year Success

In his sophomore year (2009–10), Draymond played in 37 games and started three times. He averaged 9.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He became the first Michigan State player to be named Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year. He won this award by a unanimous vote. He also earned third-team All-Big Ten honors. He was recognized as MSU's Most Improved Player. He scored a season-high 19 points twice. He also had seven games where he achieved a double-double. This means he had double digits in two stats, like points and rebounds.

Junior Year and Triple-Doubles

Green playing in 2011

As a junior in 2010–11, Draymond averaged 12.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. On February 10, 2011, he made history. He became the third Michigan State men's basketball player to record a triple-double. This means getting double digits in three stats (points, rebounds, and assists). He joined Charlie Bell and Magic Johnson. In the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, he got his second triple-double of the season. This was also the seventh in NCAA tournament history. He earned third-team All-Big Ten honors for the second year in a row.

Senior Year Highlights

As a senior in 2011–12, Draymond was the team captain. He led the Spartans to win the regular season Big Ten championship. They also won the Big Ten tournament championship. He was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. The team had a 24–7 record in the regular season. They won their 13th conference title. Draymond was named Big Ten Men's Basketball Player of the Week four times. No other Spartan had won it more than three times in one season. On March 5, 2012, he was named Big Ten Player of the Year. He was also a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection.

On March 16, 2012, Draymond got his third career triple-double. This happened in the 2012 NCAA tournament. He joined Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson as only the third player in NCAA history with two career triple-doubles in the NCAA tournament. On March 22, 2012, he collected 16 rebounds. This brought his career total to 1,096 rebounds. This made him the all-time leading rebounder in Michigan State history, passing Greg Kelser. He finished his college career as one of only three Michigan State players with over 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. He earned a degree in communication studies.

Professional Basketball Career

Joining the Golden State Warriors (2012–Present)

Starting Out (2012–2014)

Green with the Warriors as a rookie in 2012

The Golden State Warriors picked Draymond Green 35th overall in the 2012 NBA draft. On July 30, 2012, he signed a three-year contract with the Warriors. In his first NBA game on October 31, he played one minute and got one rebound. Draymond slowly got more playing time. This was especially true when other players got injured. By November, he was playing 15–20 minutes per game. By December, he had a bigger role, and the Warriors started winning more games. On December 12, Draymond made the winning shot with less than a second left. This helped the Warriors beat the defending champion Miami Heat.

In the 2013 playoffs, Draymond helped the Warriors win their first-round series. He improved his three-point shooting and offense. On May 8, he started Game 2 of the second round against the San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors won, which was their first win in San Antonio since 1996. Draymond played 32 minutes and had 5 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Spurs won the series, ending the Warriors' season.

Draymond lost 20 pounds in 2013. He also improved his three-point shooting and defense. On December 1, 2013, he tipped in a missed shot by Stephen Curry. This gave the Warriors a late lead in their win over the Sacramento Kings. He finished the 2013–14 season playing in all 82 games. He averaged 6.2 points and 5.0 rebounds. In the playoffs, he played tough defense. He averaged 1.7 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.

First NBA Championship (2014–2015)

In the 2014–15 season, Draymond Green became a key player for the Warriors. When starter David Lee was injured, Draymond became a starter. Over the first seven games, he averaged 13.6 points. The Warriors then went on a 16-game winning streak. Draymond averaged 13.3 points during this time. On December 6, he scored a career-high 31 points in a win against the Chicago Bulls.

On January 2, 2015, Draymond got his first career triple-double. He had 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists. He finished second for both the Defensive Player of the Year Award and the Most Improved Player Award. Draymond helped the Warriors win an NBA championship. In Game 6 of the NBA Finals, he got a triple-double. He played as a center in that game. He became only the sixth player in NBA history to get a triple-double in a championship-clinching game.

Becoming an All-Star (2015–2016)

Green playing in 2016

On July 9, 2015, Draymond signed a new five-year contract with the Warriors. He helped the Warriors start the season with a 10–0 record. He averaged 11.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists. On November 24, the Warriors set a record for the best start in NBA history at 16–0. Draymond had 18 points and 7 rebounds in that game. Three days later, he got his third career triple-double. He had 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. His fourth triple-double came in the very next game. He became the first Warriors player since Wilt Chamberlain in 1964 to have back-to-back triple-doubles.

On December 11, Draymond became the first player since Nicolas Batum in 2012 to record five or more in all five major stats. He had 24 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals, and 5 blocks. This happened in a double overtime win against the Boston Celtics. The Warriors' unbeaten streak ended the next day. On January 4, 2016, Draymond became the second Warriors player ever to get three straight triple-doubles. He was named the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week. On January 28, he was chosen as an All-Star for the first time. On March 27, he got his 12th triple-double of the season, a team record. Three days later, he became the first NBA player to record 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists, 100 steals, and 100 blocks in a season. He was selected to the All-NBA Second Team. He was also named to the NBA All-Defensive Team. His 13 triple-doubles were the most by a non-guard since 1997.

In the 2016 playoffs, Draymond had his second career postseason triple-double. He scored 23 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. In Game 3 of the series, he scored a playoff career-high 37 points. The Warriors won the series and advanced to the Western Conference Finals. In Game 2 of the 2016 NBA Finals, Draymond had 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. This helped the Warriors win and take a 2–0 lead. The Warriors went ahead 3–1 in Game 4. Draymond was suspended for Game 5 due to an incident with LeBron James. The Warriors lost the series in seven games.

Winning Defensive Player of the Year (2016–2017)

Green dunks in 2017

Draymond started the 2016–17 season with 18 points and 12 rebounds. On December 1, he had a season-best game with 20 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists. On December 13, he got his 15th career triple-double. He had 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, plus four steals. On January 2, he recorded his second triple-double of the season. On January 16, he got his third triple-double of the season. He also tied his career best with five blocks. On January 26, he was named an All-Star reserve again.

On February 10, 2017, Draymond made history. He scored only four points but finished with 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 steals. This was the first triple-double in NBA history with fewer than 10 points scored. It was also only the second time a player had at least 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 steals in a game. The 10 steals set a Warriors record. On March 14, he had 20 points, eight assists, eight rebounds, and six blocks. He became the 11th player in franchise history with 400 blocked shots. On March 31, he became the first Warriors player with 150 steals and 100 blocks in a season. On April 2, he had his 19th career triple-double and fifth of the season. The Warriors finished the regular season with a 67–15 record.

In the 2017 playoffs, Draymond had 19 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, five blocked shots, and three steals in Game 1. The Warriors swept the first two rounds. Draymond got his third career postseason triple-double in Game 4 of the second round. The Warriors also swept the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. They became the first team in NBA history to go 12–0 in the playoffs. Draymond helped the Warriors win their second championship in three years. They beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2017 NBA Finals. At the end of the season, Draymond was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He was the first Warriors player to win this award.

Another NBA Championship (2017–2018)

In the Warriors' first game of the 2017–18 season, Draymond had nine points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds. On December 25, 2017, he had 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. This tied the franchise record with his 20th triple-double. Four days later, he tied his career high with 16 assists. On January 4, 2018, Draymond recorded 17 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. He became the Warriors' all-time leader in triple-doubles with 21, passing Tom Gola. On January 20, he passed 4,000 career points and reached 3,000 career rebounds. On February 24, he passed Chris Mullin for eighth place on the Warriors' blocked shots list. On March 8, he had his third triple-double of the season.

Draymond helped the Warriors beat the Spurs in the first round of the playoffs. He had 17 points, a playoff career-high 19 rebounds, and seven assists in Game 5. In Game 1 of the second round, he got his fourth career postseason triple-double. He had 16 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals, and two blocks. This topped Gola's record for most playoff triple-doubles in franchise history. In Game 4, Draymond became the third player in Warriors history to reach 800 playoff rebounds. In Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, Draymond had 10 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists. The Warriors won and made their fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals. In Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals, Draymond passed Chamberlain for the most rebounds in Warriors playoff history. The Warriors swept the series against the Cavaliers. They won back-to-back titles.

Fifth Straight NBA Finals (2018–2019)

Green playing in 2019

Draymond played well in the first 10 games of the 2018–19 season. On November 5, he had to leave a game early due to a bruised foot. He missed the next two games. He returned on November 12. He missed 11 more games with the same foot injury. In his return game on December 10, he had seven points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. On January 24, he grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds.

In Game 6 of the first-round playoff series, Draymond got his fifth career playoff triple-double. He had 16 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. In Game 3 of the second round, he had 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, Draymond set a career high. He had his seventh straight playoff game with at least 10 rebounds. In Game 3, he had his seventh career postseason triple-double. He had 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists. He helped the Warriors sweep the series. In Game 4, he had a triple-double of 18 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. In Game 1 of the 2019 NBA Finals, Draymond got a triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. In Game 6, he had 11 points, 19 rebounds, and 13 assists. The Warriors lost the series. Draymond finished with six triple-doubles in the postseason. This tied Magic Johnson for the second-most in a single postseason.

On August 3, 2019, Draymond signed a new four-year contract to stay with the team.

Recent Seasons (2019–Present)

On February 1, 2020, Draymond tied his career-high with 16 assists. In the 2020–21 season, Draymond missed some training camp and the first four games due to illness and a foot injury. On February 26, 2021, he had 11 points, 12 rebounds, and a career-high 19 assists. On May 3, Draymond recorded his 29th career triple-double. He passed Michael Jordan for 17th place in career triple-doubles.

On December 20, 2021, Draymond recorded his 31st career triple-double. He had 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. He tied Boston Celtics legend John Havlicek for 15th on the all-time triple-double list. On February 3, 2022, Draymond was named an All-Star reserve for the fourth time. He missed 31 games from January to March due to a back injury. Despite playing in fewer games, he was selected to his seventh NBA All-Defensive Team. The Warriors reached the 2022 NBA Finals. Draymond won his fourth NBA championship when they defeated the Celtics. In Game 6 of the Finals, he had 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists.

During the 2022–23 season, Draymond had some disciplinary actions. He was suspended for one game for getting too many technical fouls. He was also suspended for another playoff game. The Warriors were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. After the season, Draymond signed a new contract to stay with the Warriors.

In the 2023–24 season, Draymond received more suspensions for his on-court actions. On November 14, 2023, he was suspended for five games for an incident during a game. On December 12, 2023, he was ejected from a game for an action against an opponent. The NBA suspended him indefinitely, but he was reinstated on January 6, 2024. On March 7, 2024, Draymond recorded his 32nd career triple-double. On April 12, he had a double-double with 12 rebounds and 11 assists. He became the first player in NBA history to get a double-double without taking any shots.

Playing for Team USA

Green with the U.S. national team in 2016

Draymond Green has played for the United States national team. In June 2016, he was chosen for the 2016 U.S. Olympic team. He helped Team USA win the gold medal in Rio. He averaged 1.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. Draymond was also selected for the 2020 Olympic team for the Tokyo Olympics, which happened in 2021. He helped Team USA win another gold medal. He averaged 3.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.

How Draymond Plays

Draymond Green is known for being a very versatile defender. Even though he is not the tallest power forward, he can guard all five positions on the court. He is strong and studies how his opponents play. This helps him get rebounds, steals, and blocks. He has been named to many NBA All-Defensive Teams. He also won the 2016–17 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.

On offense, he can handle the ball well. He can lead fast breaks and pass to his teammates for scores. He can also shoot three-pointers, which helps create space for his team. Draymond is also good at scoring close to the basket. His strong defense and offensive skills make him a unique player.

Green defending Washington center Marcin Gortat

Under coach Steve Kerr, Draymond became very important to the Warriors' "Death Lineup" as a center. When he plays center, his strength helps him defend bigger opponents. On offense, he is faster and a better passer than most centers. This creates problems for opposing teams. Many experts think his playing style shows how the center position in the NBA is changing. Some even call him the league's best center.

In the 2015–16 season, Draymond greatly increased his role in making plays. He doubled his assist average to 7.4 per game, leading his team. This was the most assists by any power forward that year. His ball handling, court vision, and unselfishness are key reasons for the Warriors' success. He is often seen as the emotional leader of the Warriors. He is known for being very vocal on the court and in the locker room. In 2016, Kobe Bryant said that the Warriors needed Draymond's fiery personality to keep winning.

Because of his intense play, some people have criticized him. Draymond often gets many technical fouls and ejections. As of March 2024, he has the second-most career ejections in the NBA. His history of on-court actions has sometimes led to longer suspensions.

Awards and Achievements

4× NBA champion: 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022
4× NBA All-Star: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022
2× All-NBA selection:
- Second team: 2015
- Third team: 2016
NBA Defensive Player of the Year: 2017
8× NBA All-Defensive selection:
- 4× First team: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021
- 4× Second team: 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
NBA steals leader: 2017
Only NBA player to record a triple-double with fewer than 10 points scored

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2012–13	Golden State	79	1	13.4	.327	.209	.818	3.3	.7	.5	.3	2.9
2013–14	Golden State	82	12	21.9	.407	.333	.667	5.0	1.9	1.2	.9	6.2
2014–15†	Golden State	79	79	31.5	.443	.337	.660	8.2	3.7	1.6	1.3	11.7
2015–16	Golden State	81	81	34.7	.490	.388	.696	9.5	7.4	1.5	1.4	14.0
2016–17†	Golden State	76	76	32.5	.418	.308	.709	7.9	7.0	2.0*	1.4	10.2
2017–18†	Golden State	70	70	32.7	.454	.301	.775	7.6	7.3	1.4	1.3	11.0
2018–19	Golden State	66	66	31.3	.445	.285	.692	7.3	6.9	1.4	1.1	7.4
2019–20	Golden State	43	43	28.4	.389	.279	.759	6.2	6.2	1.4	.8	8.0
2020–21	Golden State	63	63	31.5	.447	.270	.795	7.1	8.9	1.7	.8	7.0
2021–22†	Golden State	46	44	28.9	.525	.296	.659	7.3	7.0	1.3	1.1	7.5
2022–23	Golden State	73	73	31.5	.527	.305	.713	7.2	6.8	1.0	.8	8.5
2023–24	Golden State	55	52	27.1	.497	.395	.730	7.2	6.0	1.0	.9	8.6
Career		813	660	28.7	.452	.319	.713	7.0	5.6	1.3	1.0	8.7
All-Star		3	0	15.6	.375	.000	.750	5.7	2.7	2.0	.7	3.0

Play-in

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2021	Golden State	2	2	43.2	.313	.500	1.000	12.5	9.0	2.0	2.0	6.5
2024	Golden State	1	1	35.0	.500	.500	1.000	3.0	6.0	2.0	.0	12.0
Career		3	3	40.5	.375	.500	1.000	9.3	8.0	2.0	1.3	8.3

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2013	Golden State	12	1	18.6	.429	.391	.765	4.3	1.6	.5	.8	5.8
2014	Golden State	7	4	32.6	.467	.276	.792	8.3	2.9	1.7	1.7	11.9
2015†	Golden State	21	21	37.3	.417	.264	.736	10.1	5.2	1.8	1.2	13.7
2016	Golden State	23	23	38.2	.431	.365	.738	9.9	6.0	1.6	1.8	15.4
2017†	Golden State	17	17	34.9	.447	.410	.687	9.1	6.5	1.8	1.6	13.1
2018†	Golden State	21	21	39.0	.432	.266	.796	10.6	8.1	2.0	1.5	10.8
2019	Golden State	22	22	38.7	.498	.228	.718	10.1	8.5	1.5	1.5	13.3
2022†	Golden State	22	22	32.0	.479	.205	.638	7.2	6.3	1.1	1.0	8.0
2023	Golden State	12	9	30.6	.462	.250	.727	6.9	6.8	1.5	1.0	9.4
Career		157	140	34.7	.449	.304	.727	8.9	6.2	1.5	1.4	11.6

College

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2008–09	Michigan State	37	0	11.4	.556	.000	.615	3.3	.8	.6	.2	3.3
2009–10	Michigan State	37	3	25.5	.525	.125	.672	7.7	3.0	1.2	.9	9.9
2010–11	Michigan State	34	27	30.1	.426	.366	.683	8.6	4.1	1.8	1.1	12.6
2011–12	Michigan State	37	36	33.2	.449	.388	.723	10.6	3.8	1.5	.9	16.2
Career		145	66	25.0	.467	.361	.687	7.6	2.9	1.2	.8	10.5

Broadcast Career

Draymond Green started his own podcast called The Draymond Green Show in November 2021. In January 2022, he signed a deal to be an analyst and contributor with Turner Sports. This means he appears on shows like Inside the NBA during the basketball season.

Personal Life

Draymond is the son of Mary Babers and Wallace Davis. His stepfather is Raymond Green. He has two brothers, Torrian Harris and Braylon Green. He also has three sisters, LaToya Babers, Jordan Davis, and Gabby Davis. His brother Torrian Harris played basketball in college.

Draymond has a son. In 2018, he started dating actress Hazel Renee. They got engaged in 2019 and had a daughter in 2020. They got married on August 14, 2022.

While at Michigan State University, Draymond also practiced with the Michigan State Spartans football team. He played tight end for two plays in a spring football game in 2011. He earned a bachelor's degree in communication studies in 2012.

On September 14, 2015, Draymond donated $3.1 million to Michigan State University. This was the largest donation from an athlete in the school's history. It helped build a new sports facility and fund scholarships.