Dreaming Green’s voice: Why does he aspire to become one of the best defensive players in NBA history?

(This article was published on November 4 and was authored by Sam Amick, a reporter at The Athletic. The content of the article does not represent the translator’s views.)

San Francisco, United States - Even if Draymond Green chooses to retire today, he will be enough to enter the Hall of Fame.

He is 35 years old, has four championship rings and a series of impressive achievements, which is enough to earn him an invitation to Springfield. No one would blame him if he decided to retire, dedicate himself to a burgeoning media career and spend more time with his family, especially after the stress of controversy during his NBA career.

Yet on a recent Friday, as he sat down in a Chase Center hallway and agreed to discuss the state of defense in today's NBA and look back on his illustrious career, his tone became animated when talking about why he won't be retiring anytime soon. It's not the only reason, but he believes it's an important factor in providing extra motivation for an experienced player like himself. It all came down to a sharing late last season by Raymond Reed, the Warriors’ longtime media relations chief.

As the Warriors made a playoff push after trading for Butler in February, Reid decided to share a piece of history with the Warriors that he thought might pique his interest. He noticed that the list of players who have been selected to the All-Defensive Team at least 10 times is all legends, with only Duncan, Kobe, Garnett, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Pippen on the list. At that time, Chai Meng had already been selected to the All-Defensive Team 8 times.

What Reed didn't know was that he was about to ignite the legendary fire in Chasing Dream's heart.

"When you see a list like this, it (the Hall of Fame) immediately becomes your goal," Chasing Dreams told The Athletic said in a 34-minute exclusive interview, "You think, 'I have to do my best to earn this honor.' When you look at that list and think, 'I can be on that list,' it is very attractive. To be honest, it will completely occupy your heart."

"You are always looking for these stamps of recognition. To me, that's a stamp that I'm very eager to add, just because that kid from Saginaw can one day look at that roster and say, 'Oh my gosh, my name is up there with those guys. ' ... So that's a huge, huge, huge goal of mine."

The spirit of that pursuit is totally his style.

While Dream's role as Curry's ideal offensive partner in this Warriors dynasty is crucial, it's his value as the team's defensive core that is the foundation of his unique legacy. So when I pitched the idea of ​​a defensive discussion to Dream the week before in Los Angeles in preparation for an upcoming interview, he jumped at the debate.

Yes, he agrees: There's a disconnect between the impact of elite-level team defense on wins and the current compensation of top defensive players in the league (in large part because of the second-richest line). Yes, he has his own take on former teammate Durant's recent comments claiming defense doesn't actually win championships (more on that later).

Yes, he admitted that the young generation of top defenders, led by the 21-year-old genius Wenban Yama, makes it more difficult to accumulate honors every year. And, as you'd expect, he'll continue to work hard as long as Curry and coach Kerr are around.

"If you had asked me this question a year ago, I would have told you (to play) another year or two," said the second-round pick out of Michigan State University, who has played a total of 1,057 games in 14 seasons (including the regular season and playoffs). "But my body is feeling better and better. I understand my body more and know what needs to be done. I still enjoy competing at the highest level. I still like to set goals and then go through the process to achieve it. So I won't say just play for a year or two like I did a year ago. I also don't set a specific number for myself. Like I have always said, the game will tell me when to leave."

The following interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

Talking about his career

Chai Meng made no secret of his disgust with the current collective bargaining agreement, especially the luxury tax system, which he believed was almost equivalent to a hard salary cap and stifled the free agent market. Although ESPN's Bobby Marks and others have refuted the views of Chasing Dreams, Chasing Dreams still insists on his opinion.

Considering that the last two championship teams - the Thunder and Celtics - have both proven the importance of defense, with the former boasting the best defense in the league and the latter ranking second, the reality is that scorers, even mediocre ones, often command higher salaries than defensive specialists.

Q: So, in today's basketball game, how do you view the value of defensive players? Are their actual values ​​reflected?

A: I can't simply say "defensive players are underrated." I think most players still get what they deserve. Look at Kamara of the Trail Blazers. He just signed a four-year, $82 million contract.

Q: The Eagles' Dyson Daniels also signed a four-year, $100 million contract.

A: This is the same situation as me (Chai Meng signed a four-year, $100 million contract extension in the summer of 2023). The Nuggets' Braun signed a five-year, $125 million contract. He is considered an offensive and defensive player, but those who know him know that he is a very good defender.

Q: The Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. signed a five-year, $122 million contract. Thunder's Holmgren obviously...

A: Although Chet is not a superstar yet, we all have reason to expect that he will become a star. This is a different situation. When you look at Jabari Jr., his defense is criticized at times, but the compensation he gets is completely justified. That's motivating for us because we have a say in it and if you go out and do what you need to do, then the rest will take care of itself.

Q: How long do you plan to fight?

A: I don’t know the exact number, but I know I’m still really enjoying it. As long as I'm enjoying it and I'm able to go through the process and put in the effort that I need to do to stay at the top level, I don't see a reason to stop. I still love the sport and I’m in great shape. Add that love and health together and it makes it even harder for me to leave.

I'm now in a position where I can look at this from just one perspective, which is, "How is basketball played?" It's about the daily struggle, my dedication, and competing every night. How do I feel mentally and physically every time I take the field? I currently have all of that still intact, so now I just have to look at things from that perspective.

Original text: Sam Amick

Compiler: JayChan