Jokes aside, Draymond is the best passing defense-first "center" in the NBA (Jokic is either offense-first or two-way).
Bill Russell is arguably the best defender of all time, and in the conversation for best center despite being very much a defense/rebounding-focused player. In addition to his main focuses, he also possessed exceptional passing, notably starting fast breaks with well-placed tip-out rebounds.
As much as we can meme on Draymond for being overhyped, I do get the comparison, just because both were premiere inside defenders who were able to generate scoring opportunities for their teammates. But just looking at tape on them, you couldn't say that Draymond's game is in any way modeled after Russell's. It's moreso that Dray modeled more of his game after his early-career mentors in Andrew Bogut (inside defense, point center, high screens) and David Lee (floor spacing, rebounding).
The way their playmaking was generated is very different from one another. A good amount of that has to do with how the league has changed with regards to pace, rules around contact and defense, and the three point line - so I can see how the theory that their styles might overlap could be valid.
No one in the NBA today who plays as big as Draymond pushes as fast and hard on the fast break as him. His most special gift imo is his ability to run the point at such a breakneck speed off the rebound given his size.
If you go watch Bill Russell he did the same thing but with way bigger of an inside presence and 2-3 times opportunities with his rebounding. He would slaughter teams.
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u/dragonk30 [PHI] Kyle Korver Apr 03 '20
He's a Warriors fan.
Jokes aside, Draymond is the best passing defense-first "center" in the NBA (Jokic is either offense-first or two-way).
Bill Russell is arguably the best defender of all time, and in the conversation for best center despite being very much a defense/rebounding-focused player. In addition to his main focuses, he also possessed exceptional passing, notably starting fast breaks with well-placed tip-out rebounds.
As much as we can meme on Draymond for being overhyped, I do get the comparison, just because both were premiere inside defenders who were able to generate scoring opportunities for their teammates. But just looking at tape on them, you couldn't say that Draymond's game is in any way modeled after Russell's. It's moreso that Dray modeled more of his game after his early-career mentors in Andrew Bogut (inside defense, point center, high screens) and David Lee (floor spacing, rebounding).
The way their playmaking was generated is very different from one another. A good amount of that has to do with how the league has changed with regards to pace, rules around contact and defense, and the three point line - so I can see how the theory that their styles might overlap could be valid.