Draymond Green

In adding 117 different instances into the NBA’s vaunted history books — a single-year record at the time — the 2016-17 season, in some circles, was once labeled the “Year of the Triple-Double.” Settled into the peak of his versatile, statsheet-stuffing powers, Draymond Green used February 10, 2017 to prove that in a league rich with box score brilliance, not all greatness is created equally. Leaving both no box unchecked and no scorer unguarded, the soon-to-be-named Defensive Player of the Year reached historic levels, becoming the Association’s first-ever player to record a triple-double without the 10-point scoring qualifier. Green’s Golden State Warriors, then an NBA-best 44-8, weren’t short on motivation, given the Memphis Grizzlies’ status as the only team to upstage them twice. Never one to require a nudge before being aggressive, Green logged seven steals by halftime, putting tremendous pressure on both Memphis’ ball handlers and the 41-year record for the most single-game swipes (11). Finishing just one point shy of a 5x5 and a triple-double on the same night, Green produced what his head coach called the “most dominant four-point performance” ever seen, complementing it with 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 steals, five blocks, and a game-high +26 plus-minus.

Championship Year