Over the course of NBA history, several ‘player archetypes’ have developed. Many times, the origin of these archetypes are simply created when a large group of players at a particular position play a certain style. One of the most common, most well-known, and easiest to identify of these archetypes is the ‘3-and-D’ wing. Players that classify as 3-and-D wings are usually either shooting guards or small forwards that may have several notable skills, but excel most at three point shooting and defense, especially perimeter defense. There are many examples of three-and-D players, but some notable examples from the San Antonio Spurs are Bruce Bowen, whose trademark was his lockdown defense, but he also consistently knocked down corner three’s, Kawhi Leonard, who at the beginning of his career was widely considered to be a three-and-D player, but has since developed into an all-around player, and Danny Green, who is a player that potentially personifies three-and-D with such accuracy that one could imagine his game was designed around the archetype itself.
Danny Green’s Defensive Importance
