Avery Bradley: ‘I Should Always Be In That Conversation For [Defensive Player of the Year]’

The Celtics are expected to make a lot of noise in the East this season and Avery Bradley is already pining for a spot on the All-Defensive Team and thinks Boston’s increased profile will help his case.

While speaking to reporters at ESPN, Bradley openly stated that he thinks he should be considered for Defensive Player of the Year every year:

“If we’re playing well this year, I’ll give myself a chance [to compete for the Defensive Player of the Year award] because, to be honest, I feel like I should always be in that conversation,” said Bradley. “I think I’ve [been left off the] defensive team because of our [lack of] success in the past. We weren’t winning as many games and I’m not going to name some players, but when I was looking at the list I’m like, ‘That person got more votes?’ It’s just because they had a better year, they played longer, they were on TV more — all those things help you out. This year, I feel like the amount of TV games and how we should be playing this year should be able to help me be in that conversation.

The Celtics guard also spoke highly of Kawhi Leonard and Draymond Green and said he “appreciates watching” Green play:

“You can ask all the best players in the NBA — there’s not one player in the NBA that guards them like me. I know [San Antonio Spurs forward] Kawhi [Leonard]is a great defender and [Golden State Warriors big man] Draymond [Green] — to me, he’s a really good defender. For someone that plays defense, I appreciate watching him play defense. It’s really amazing.”

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