Draymond Green Wins 2024-25 NBA Hustle Award, Cementing His Legacy of Effort and Grit

At 35 years old and with four championship rings, most players would be winding down. But Draymond Green isn’t most players.

The NBA announced Friday that the Golden State Warriors veteran forward is the winner of the 2024-25 NBA Hustle Award, recognizing a season full of the unglamorous, high-impact plays that define winning basketball. It’s a fitting honor for a player whose career has been built on heart, hustle, and an unshakable commitment to the dirty work.

Green becomes the oldest player ever to win the award and the most decorated, with four All-Star nods, two All-NBA selections, and eight All-Defensive honors already under his belt. He also becomes just the second former Defensive Player of the Year to earn the Hustle Award, joining Marcus Smart.

Hustle Over Headlines

While he didn’t lead any individual hustle stat, Green finished top 15 in five of the nine tracked categories and cracked the top 40 in all nine—a first in the award’s history. These include:

• 2nd in contested 3-point shots

• 15th in deflections

• 13th in contested 2-point shots

• Strong showings in screen assists, loose balls recovered, and box-outs

He also joined Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the only players to average at least 1.45 steals and 1.0 blocks per game while playing at least 40 games. It’s a rare combination of disruptive perimeter defense and rim protection.

“It’s Not Just a Young Man’s Game”

In an era where athleticism and flash dominate highlights, Green continues to prove that effort, intelligence, and toughness matter just as much—maybe more. His leadership, communication, and relentless motor have been cornerstones of Golden State’s sustained excellence.

“Hustle doesn’t age,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said earlier this season. “Draymond’s still the heart of what we do.”

This is not a token career award. Green had three top-five finishes in previous seasons, including runner-up in 2016-17 and 2022-23. He was also fourth in 2020-21. The 2024-25 season was simply the year it all came together.

One More Run?

With the Warriors locked 1-1 in their first-round series against the Houston Rockets, Green’s presence remains vital. If Golden State is to capture its fifth title in 11 years, it won’t be because of a scoring explosion or viral highlight.

It’ll be because of a player who boxes out on every possession, closes out hard on shooters, rotates perfectly, and still dives for 50-50 balls like it’s 2015.

“I’ve never cared about stats,” Green once said. “I care about winning plays. I care about effort plays. That’s what I’ve always been about.”

Now, the NBA is officially recognizing that.

And with the playoffs heating up, so is Draymond Green.