Richard Jefferson defends Matthew Dellavedova after Draymond said "he stinks" - "Delly would literally die for you"

Matthew Dellavedova hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2022-23 season. Yet, somehow, he recently caught some strays when Draymond Green used him as a reference point to build his case for LeBron James’ being the NBA’s GOAT.

During Kai Cenat’s livestream, Draymond explained that LeBron is undeniably better than the consensus GOAT, Michael Jordan, since he had to scrap and claw in the NBA Finals with players of the caliber of Delly.

“Delly stinks. He won two games in the NBA finals with Delly,” Dray proclaimed. “I got a lot of respect for Delly, he stinks. I respect him. Completely stinks.”

Richard Jefferson, who won a title with Dellavedova on the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, beating Green and the history-making Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, immediately came to his former teammate’s defense, claiming the 6’3″ guard who went undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft played with more heart and guts than any player he’d ever seen.

The ultimate underdog

Unlike most American hoop stars who take the usual AAU to NCAA to the NBA route, Delly’s journey to the big league went through numerous speed bumps. After playing for the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra in high school, he was recruited by Saint Mary’s College of California in the NCAA.

Despite finishing his collegiate career with most of the school’s records, Dellavedova didn’t hear his name get called in the draft. However, he proved his worth to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2013 NBA Summer League and eventually signed a two-year pact.

Delly’s time in the limelight came in the 2015 NBA Finals. With superstar guard Kyrie Irving sidelined by a knee injury, the Aussie was shoved into the starting five and tasked with defending the NBA’s MVP that season, Warriors superstar Stephen Curry.

Proving he was more than up to the challenge, he more than held his own and even scored 20 points in a Game 3 win that put the Cavs up 2-1 in that series.

“Was Delly the ultimate underdog? Yes,” Jefferson emphasized on the “Road Trippin'” podcast. “Delly would literally die for you. Give me that man in battle any single day.”

Delly played so hard that he ended up in the hospital

While some players would have wilted under the immense glare of the spotlight on the NBA’s biggest stage, Dellavedova stood out. He understood the immense challenge of chasing after Curry through screen after screen and not only succeeded, but thrived in the role.

Matthew played so hard in Game 3’s 96-91 victory that after the game, he needed an IV in the locker room and was rushed in an ambulance to the hospital because of severe cramps and dehydration.

Showing how much of a warrior he was, Delly returned to action despite the injury. However, he couldn’t keep his momentum going and ended up averaging a dismal 5.3 points on 19 percent shooting in Games 4 to 6, all of which resulted in Golden State wins.

It’s curious, though, that Green thought very little of Dellavedova when, in fact, he should be lauding the man for the nine-year NBA career he carved out despite being the underdog. Even though they came from different backgrounds, they share the same story of making it big in the NBA despite facing countless challenges.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 18, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Richard Jefferson defends Matthew Dellavedova after Draymond said “he stinks” – “Delly would literally die for you”

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