Draymond Green Regretful Over Not Shaking LeBron James And Cavaliers’ Hands After 2016 Finals Loss

Even though the NBA playoffs are in full swing, some players are still active with their podcasts. And they are a blessing for fans in many ways, considering how they provide insights into the postseason that only a player can. And Draymond Green has been at it, both on the hardwood and inside the studio.

Recently, Green hosted an episode of his show alongside Baron Davis, where he spoke about the Golden State Warriors’ triumph over the Houston Rockets in round 1. One topic they touched upon was Rockets star Dillon Brooks’ refusal to shake hands with the Dubs after his team lost.

“Dillon Brooks ran off the court,” Green stated with attitude. “So when I say you see what guys are made of, he ran off the court.” The four-time NBA Champion continued to criticize Brooks. And, in his rant, Green recalled a time when he did something similar. When did that happen?

This was right after the Warriors lost to the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals. “I left the court, walked to the locker room, [and] I got to my seat. For me it was such a whirlwind, like, damn we just lost,” recalled Green.

However, he immediately regretted his decision, blaming the immaturity of his youth. He corrected the mistake shortly after.

“I got to my seat, I’m like ‘what am I doing’? I got out [of] my seat, walked back out there, and shook everybody’s hand and congratulated them,” he claimed.

Green then warned Brooks about things catching up with him in the future. “When guys lose respect for you in this league, it don’t matter, and it’s going to catch you in the end,” he said.

Back in 2016, Green corrected the disrespectful wrong he had made during the Cavs’ improbable comeback from 3-1 down in the Finals. The act also brought him closer to LeBron, a man he used to despise.

Draymond says he and LeBron share a competitive respect

Green and James always bring the fight when they face off on the court. But that doesn’t mean each man doesn’t share a mutual, even loving respect for his competitor. Dray once spoke about this on Paul George’s Podcast P.

“That’s my big brother,” said the defensive ace. “Love him to death. Ain’t nothing changing that.” 

Green did specify that his goal at the end of the day was to win a chip, so the friendship ends as soon as the tip-off happens.

Green has built a reputation for sometimes saying the wrong things or doing the wrong things on the court. Yet, his peers still respect him for his basketball IQ and commitment levels — the two major reasons he has four rings.

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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