Feb 3, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) and forward Draymond Green (23) look towards an Orlando Magic player at half time at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Steph Curry Reacts to Draymond Green Award News

Originally posted on Golden State Warriors on SI
By Logan Struck | Last updated Apr 25, 2025 7:26 PM ET

The Golden State Warriors are in the middle of a competitive first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, looking to make a championship run, even as the seventh seed in the Western Conference.

A seventh seed has never won the NBA Finals, but if anybody is able to do it, it would be this Warriors team built around Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green.

Of course, Curry and Butler get much of the credit in Golden State, while Green continues to be one of the most underappreciated stars in NBA history. On Friday, the NBA gave Green some well-deserved recognition, naming him the 2024-25 Hustle Award winner.

The winner of the 2024-25 NBA Hustle Award is... Draymond Green! #NBAAwards

The award honors a player who makes the effort plays that do not often appear in the box score but help determine team success. pic.twitter.com/BPjSvQEi8C
— NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2025

The NBA says the Hustle Award "honors a player who makes the effort plays that do not often appear in the box score but help determine team success," which seems to be the perfect award for Draymond Green.

Green was a frontrunner for the 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, but ultimately finished in third place behind Evan Mobley and Dyson Daniels. Of course, the Hustle Award is not nearly as prestigious as the Defensive Player of the Year award, but it is a respectable honor nonetheless.

After the news of Green winning the Hustle Award, superstar teammate Steph Curry took to Instagram to react, saying he should have been the Defensive Player of the Year.

"Respect [Draymond Green]," Curry posted. "Definitely my DPOY too but see you on 1st team."

Steph is a real one

[via @StephenCurry30 / IG] pic.twitter.com/uCEEqdm0gP
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 25, 2025

Green certainly had a strong case to win Defensive Player of the Year, but is undoubtedly a lock to still earn All-Defensive First Team honors. Of course, though, Curry and Green have more significant goals in mind amid their championship-hopeful playoff run.

This article first appeared on Golden State Warriors on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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