Draymond Green drew the ire of fans and critics throughout the 2023-24 season. He missed more than a quarter of his season due to suspensions stemming from his violent outbursts on the court. But the forward once again lost control over his anger after serving two major suspensions in the season. In March, he was ejected after arguing with the referees barely four minutes into a game against the Orlando Magic.
Advertisement
Stephen Curry was obviously disappointed after seeing Green lose his cool again. On Jeff Teague’s Club 520 pod, Green revealed Curry’s interaction with him after he was ejected from the game against Magic.
Green highlighted how many folks thought that he hadn’t learned his lesson after the ejection. He found this sentiment patronizing, arguing that his critics don’t understand the nuances of his role as an enforcer for the Dubs. Part of his profile with the team is to do the dirty work.
In other words, Green thought that people had a very dramatic reaction to his ejection, most of which was not warranted. He then recalled how people had pointed out that Stephen Curry was devastated because of his actions. Green revealed that Curry’s reaction was blown out of proportion.
The Dubs star told Teague and crew that Curry didn’t overreact in any way, he was just a bit emotional because of the veteran defender’s absence. Curry advised him to stay on the floor for his team’s sake at any cost.
“Steph told me after the game, ‘I need you, whatever it is, I just need you out there,'” Green said.
Meanwhile, coach Steve Kerr also didn’t make a big deal out of his ejection. Kerr recognized Green’s improved behavior after two suspensions and simply asked him to stay ready for the next game.
“Steve came to me after the game and was like, ‘Yo, you good?’ I’m like ‘Yeah’. He is like, ‘I am not about to make a bunch out of this, you getting kicked out of the game… because I just want you to know you have been absolutely incredible since you’ve been back. You just got kicked out of that game, we got to bounce back tomorrow.’”
Therefore, Draymond is fed up with his critics turning the situation from a molehill to a mountain. But in all fairness, he did provide enough reasons for them to go at him throughout the 2023-24 campaign.
Draymond Green missed a huge chank of the season
Green committed two questionable acts during the last season. In November of 2023, he choked Minnesota Timberwolves Center Rudy Gobert from behind when the Frenchman was seemingly trying to diffuse a scuffle. The NBA slapped him with a five-game ban for his offense.
But it didn’t stop there. In a game against the Phoenix Suns, Green hit Jusuf Nurkic just a couple of weeks after his return from his first suspension. League Commissioner Adam Silver took exception to this act and handed Green an indefinite suspension.
The league reinstated him after a 12-game suspension in mid-January. To his credit, he didn’t receive any tech for more than two months but then he lost his temper at the tail-end of the season against the Orlando Magic. It was his 21st ejection, placing him just eight behind all-time leader Rasheed Wallace.
It won’t be surprising if Green catches up to Wallace soon.
