Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green missed out on the 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, finishing third place in voting behind Dyson Daniels and eventual winner Evan Mobley. On Friday, however, he got some positive news that even drew the attention of teammate Steph Curry.
In a post on social media, the NBA revealed that Green is the recipient of this year’s “Hustle Award.” According to the league, it “honors a player who makes the effort plays that do not often appear in the box score but help determine team success.”
Green has always been the Warriors’ defensive anchor, and he was a big reason that the team finished with a top-10 defense in the NBA this past season. More than his defense, though, many consider him to be the heart and soul of the team.
His vocal leadership and passion have also kept the Warriors together, even amid trying times. In fact, his Warriors teammate Buddy Hield previously said that Green “does all the intangibles to help you win a basketball game.”
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) prepares for the start of Game 2 against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center.
Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
After seeing Draymond Green’s latest honor, Steph Curry was quick to react on Instagram. On his IG Stories post, he shared the NBA’s announcement and showed his admiration for his longtime Warriors teammate.
Curry also highlighted his belief that Green should have won the Defensive Player of the Year award. Regardless, he’s confident that the 35-year-old will be part of the NBA All-Defensive First Team.
“Respect [Draymond Green,]” Curry wrote. “Definitely my DPOY too but see you on 1st team.”
While Curry is happy to see his teammate thrive, the Warriors cannot celebrate too much amid their playoff series against the Houston Rockets. The two teams are currently tied at 1-1 after Houston won Game 2.
Sure enough, hopes are high that Green will be able to consistently make his impact on the Warriors and help them take the lead as the series shifts to their home court.
