Golden State Warriors: Why Draymond Green is frontrunner for DPOY

The smell of 2016 is in the air. Stephen Curry is on pace to set an NBA record for 3-pointers made, the Golden State Warriors are leading the league in wins and Draymond Green is emerging as a frontrunner for the Defensive Player of the Year award.

It is time to look at three reasons why Draymond Green is running away as the favorite to win the Defensive Player of the Year.

In his first run to the DPOY, Draymond did it as a revolutionary. He single-handedly spurred an influx of girthy forwards who were asked to replicate Green.

Look no further than Eric Paschall, Xavier Tillman, Grant Williams, Semi Ojeleye and Luguentz Dort to see how Draymond influenced the league. In years prior, these guys would be written off as “tweeners.”

Now, however, this style of play is the norm. So how is 31-year-old Draymond Green still leading the charge all these years later?

One-of-One

Well, as much as other teams have tried to find their own “Draymond” there is just no one quite like him.

His versatility has yet to be matched by anyone. Even P.J. Tucker, likely the best small-ball center to be deployed since Draymond’s breakout season, failed to muster up the level of effectiveness that Green brings to the table.

The phrase “can defend multiple positions” is thrown around liberally these days. However, that can only truly be said for a few players. Green is without a doubt one of them.

Heart of a champion

Perhaps the main factor that differentiates Green from his peers is his heart. He is not an otherworldly athlete (though he deserves more credit for his athletic ability). But, what Green lacks in physical explosiveness he compensates for in his volcanic attitude.

Green is as scrappy as they get and he is not going to give up on a play. Ever.

Draymond ranks in the top 20 or 30 of most hustle metrics and is among the league leaders in shots contested per game.

He holds himself to a high standard and demands perfection from everyone on the floor. It is hard for any member of the Warriors’ to give up when Draymond is leading by example 24/7.

A defensvie mastermind

Most of all, Green is as smart as they come. His hustle and ambition is matched by his extreme knowledge of the game.

At 31 years of age, Green has the experience to sniff out anything opponents throw at him. Take his quote from last season when he explained why he personally feels he is the NBA’s best defender:

"“There’s no defensive situation where you don’t want me on the floor.”Draymond Green via ‘Just Playin’"

His versatility is not just due to his heart or physical build. It is his IQ.

Green has steered the Warriors to defensive success all year long. Aside from actually impacting the game with his own body, he is actively guiding and barking at his teammates to be in the correct positions.

Golden State holds a Defensive Rating of 99.7, making them the only current team below 104. Green is the obvious driving force behind their lockdown performances and without him acting as a leader each night the Dubs would not be this brutal for opponents.