Unless he manages to secure the NBA Finals MVP, Draymond Green probably won't be adding any new trophies to his shelf this year. Even so, his contributions on the defensive end for the Golden State Warriors remain highly regarded. This past Monday, the league confirmed that Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Memphis Grizzlies is the 2022-23 Defensive Player of the Year, which was widely expected.
Draymond Green wouldn’t be adding any individual hardware to his showcase this year unless he wins NBA Finals MVP. But the Golden State Warriors’ power forward is still getting commended for his outstanding play on the court. On Monday afternoon, the league announced Memphis Grizzlies’ power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. as the 2022-23 Defensive Player of the Year, which was an expected outcome for the fans.
Green, at 33, finished the voting in fourth place, trailing Brook Lopez (2nd) and Evan Mobley (3rd). Because the votes were spread across 12 different candidates, Green's name appeared on just 18 of the 100 ballots. However, he did earn some high marks, including three first-place, two second-place, and 13 third-place votes.
Regardless of the ranking, a large portion of the fanbase still believes Green is the most dominant defender in the league when the stakes are highest. That said, a second DPOY award was out of reach this season. He wasn't always playing at his peak, and the Warriors' overall defensive rating slipped to 14th in the league. When you combine his inconsistent play with the nine games he missed, it's clear why he didn't take home the award.
None of this diminishes his reputation as the most intimidating defender during the playoffs. Furthermore, his impact is backed by data: Green ranked fourth in the league in Defensive EPM, which many experts consider the most comprehensive defensive metric available.
This marks the fifth time in his career that Draymond has cracked the top five in DPOY voting. His track record includes a third-place finish in 2020-21, two consecutive second-place finishes in 2014-15 and 2015-16, and his sole victory in 2016-17. While the All-Defense teams are still to be named, it's widely expected that he will earn a spot on one of them.
Rounding out the top rankings were Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat in fifth and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks in sixth, while the Bucks' Jrue Holiday and the Raptors' OG Anunoby tied for seventh place.
Now the question is whether finishing fourth will serve as extra motivation for Green as he leads the Warriors through the first round of the playoffs against the Sacramento Kings.