Is MSU Alum Draymond Green a Future Hall of Famer?

Draymond Green's NBA career isn't over by any means. But when he hangs them up, does he have a Hall-of-Fame resume?

Draymond Green talked with reporters about having his number retired before the game against Duke Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State Basketball | Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press, Detroit Free Press via Imagn Content Services, LLC

For 30 years, Tom Izzo has built Michigan State basketball into a national juggernaut.

In that time, he's collected a national championship (2000), eight Final Four appearances, and 11 trips to the Elite Eight — including one in 2025.

Izzo, now 70 years old and showing no signs of slowing down, has made a career out of maximizing his players, especially the under-the-radar types.

You may have heard of Draymond Green.

Originally a three-star recruit from Saginaw, Michigan, Green arrived in East Lansing and fought for everything he earned.

He wasn’t supposed to be the guy, until he stepped on the floor and decided otherwise.

Unlike many of today’s top prospects, Green stayed all four years at his alma mater — and those four years helped him blossom into an all-time Spartan great.

Along the way, he racked up accolades: Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year, Big Ten Player of the Year, Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year, and 2012 Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player. In his final season donning the green and white, he led Michigan State to the Sweet 16 and nearly averaged a double-double.

To cap it off, his No. 23 jersey is retired — permanently etched into Michigan State history.

Despite his college dominance, Green wasn’t a coveted NBA prospect. In fact, staying all four years often hurts your draft stock in today’s NBA.

But Green didn’t let that narrative define him. Instead, he rewrote it.

He was selected 35th overall in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. His first two seasons were relatively quiet — a rotation piece showing flashes but not yet a focal point.

That changed quickly.

In 2014-15, Green became a breakout star, helping Golden State capture its first NBA title in 40 years.

And it didn’t stop there.

He became a key part of the Warriors dynasty, winning four NBA championships, making four All-Star teams, capturing the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, leading the NBA in steals that same season, and earning five All-Defensive Team nods.

USA Basketball took notice too, as Green helped Team USA win Olympic gold in 2016 and 2020.

Not bad for a three-star recruit from Saginaw.

Green's career isn’t done just yet, though he’ll be 35 by the time the 2025-26 season tips off, so the Hall of Fame question is becoming real.

His numbers won’t wow you: 8.7 points per game, 6.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 1.0 blocks per game. But his impact has always transcended the box score.

In 2024, defensive ace Michael Cooper was inducted into the Hall of Fame with a career line that’s arguably less impressive than Green’s. So if the bar is set there, it’s hard to argue Green doesn’t deserve the nod.

Sure, he’s rubbed people the wrong way — on the court and off — but you can’t argue the results.

Draymond Green played his role to perfection, and when his career is over, don’t be surprised if the next chapter includes a speech in Springfield.

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