The Warriors Just Found Their Baby Draymond Green

The Golden State Warriors have built their ethos on smarts, versatility and dynamism. Their ideal lineups are connected units that move as one. The organization has managed to maintain this identity across eras by identifying and developing players who can mold right into the system. They just added a new initiate into the fold, a forward by the name of Malevy Leons, and he has the chance to be more than just another small gear in the Golden State machine. Leons is a baby Draymond Green, and he could become a serious difference-maker for this team.

Draymond is the true human embodiment of what the Warriors represent. He’s also an all-time talent and basketball mind. Malevy Leons isn’t going to reach All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year heights, or anything close. He’s a 26-year-old undrafted sophomore on a two-way contract. That said, the way he plays is eerily reminiscent of the league’s greatest instigator (minus the temper). The newest Warrior is a defensive dynamo who can slide across the board and anchor an entire unit. 

In his short stint with the Thunder in 2024-25 (six games, 21 total minutes played), Leons was a 73rd percentile help defender according to BBall Index. He also held opponents to 8.5% lower than their expected efficiency at the rim (86th percentile) while covering 1.4 miles defensively per 75 possessions (84th percentile). In the G League this season, he’s averaging 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks. The Netherlands native is stupidly switchable and mobile for a guy of his size. He’s active in every way on defense— he sees the floor and makes sharp rotations while executing any and every coverage in the book. 

Check out this play, where he picks up a guard on a switch, cuts off the drive, then rotates down to the block for the rejection. He blew up that play entirely on his own.

Here, he steps up to the level and switches before stunting from the nail to nab the steal.

This play is incredibly impressive. How many other 6’9” guys in the league can apply full-court pressure and get strip steals like this? The answer is not many!

Draymond Green has been such a game-breaking defender in this league because of his versatility. He can be a small ball five, a regular power forward or even a point-of-attack stopper for Golden State because he can guard anybody. Leons offers that same type of utility. 

The Draymond similarities don’t end on defense for Leons. The Bradley product is a heady hub-in-training on offense who can make reads off faceoffs and handoffs. Watch this keep drive here. If you don’t see some Draymond, you haven’t watched enough hoops.

Leons’ overall offensive game is pretty simple. He’s a component positional passer, but not a true dimer. He can hit open threes (43.8% in the G this year), but he’s no sniper. His impact stems from his defense and his ability to fit into a scheme and affect the game in multiple facets as a role player. He does the little things to make a team go, just like Draymond Green.

The Warriors have historically utilized their two-way contracts effectively. They sign the right type of guys, guys who can boost the team’s brand. Malevy Leons should be able to do exactly that. Don’t be surprised if he starts generating some serious buzz soon.